Dark Night Of the Soul
by Net Girl
Summary: Thanks to the Hellmouth, Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles are transported back in time ... to the days when Elves, Hobbits, Orcs and Men roamed the lands.
1. An Unexpected Trip

Rating: PG-13 - Violence, mild language.

Summary: Thanks to the Hellmouth, Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles are transported back in time - to the days when Elves, Men, Orcs and Hobbits roamed the lands.

Spoilers: All of season three Buffy; not a whole lot for LOTR.

Disclaimer: All _Buffy_ characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions. _Lord of the Rings_ characters and universe belong to Mr. J.R.R. Tolkien. We are but lowly fan fiction writers who enjoy spinning a good yarn. We are NOT making any money off this, nor are we trying to infringe on anyone's copyright. So don't sue us.

Song Lyrics Disclaimer: "Subhuman" by Garbage, "Little Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs and the theme to "Gilligan's Island" were all used without the permission of their respective artists, but no infringement was intended here, either.

Authors' Notes: This story takes place two weeks after "Graduation 2" in the Buffyverse. In the LOTR universe, it's roughly ten years before the Fellowship of the Ring goes off on its grand adventure. And it's VERY alternate universe! Please send any and all feedback to: donnacsoprano AT gmail DOT com & varyar AT gmail DOT com. Flames are read, laughed at then deleted with extreme prejudice.

Dark Night of the Soul  
By Net Girl & Sibyl

Chapter One - "An Unexpected Trip"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
Sunnydale, California  
Early Evening

Buffy Summers kept a close eye on all of the patrons in the Bronze as she made her rounds through the club. The place was packed. School ended only two weeks before. The adventure where Mayor Wilkins turned into a 100-foot snake demon was behind the community. It was time for celebration, Sunnydale-style, which meant the Bronze.

Buffy checked her watch and looked back to the dance floor. She'd been there twenty minutes but it felt like it'd been hours. She couldn't have fun, the pitfall of a dragnet operation. The good old Scooby Gang was on the trail of a rather vicious and elusive demon and had been since the day after graduation. Wilkins was gone, but as usual, another Big Bad showed up to take his place.

Even worse, Giles had no idea what kind of demon they dealt with. In two weeks, the four of them had three separate run-ins with the putrid gray-green skinned creature with a really terrible dental plan.

Xander Harris had put off going on his road trip to help deal with the new demon. As much as Buffy loved Xander, she couldn't say he was much help. Every time they met up with the demon, she had to bail him out of a tight spot. And Willow Rosenberg's flirtation with magick only complicated matters even more. Usually her spells didn't work, and when they did work, they did more harm than good. This wasn't a stellar month for the group. If they didn't stop this demon from slaughtering innocent people, it definitely wouldn't improve.

Across the room, Xander and Willow caught her attention, giving her a shrug, letting her know they didn't see anything on their side. The two of them vanished among the crowd. She turned to her left and found Giles near the doors of the club. He, too, gave her a signal that he'd come up with nothing. Buffy nodded then headed through the crowd to join him.

"Burn down all your idols/  
Destroy your idols/  
Create a scene/  
There goes all your reason/  
It's Helter Skelter/  
It's not a dream/

Come down from the alter/  
Remove your blindfold/  
What do you see?/  
Nothing left to do here/  
There's nothing new here/  
It's all the same ..."

The Slayer deftly slipped by the dancing teenagers until she reached Giles. She tapped him on the shoulder, smiling slightly when he jumped at her touch.

"Hey, Giles, it's only me," she greeted, speaking loud enough so he could hear her over the music. "Nothing going on outside, I take it?" She hoped this damn demon would show soon. Other areas needed patrolling. With all their efforts concentrated on this one being, the vampire population grew.

Rupert Giles adjusted his glasses, stepped back to allow a boy to pass by, and then he looked down at Buffy. "Not a thing. However, I'm quite sure this will work," he answered. He moved again to let another boy by then shook his head. "I must say I'm eager for this to end. A week of staking out The Bronze takes its toll. I'm sure I'll need a hearing aid before long."

"Oh, come on, Giles, it isn't that bad." Buffy folded her arms across her chest and turned at the waist so she could scan the club again. "I've heard much worse. And, believe me, you're lucky this isn't Amateur Night." She cringed as she turned her attention back to her Watcher. "Now that - that's truly terrifying."

"Come back to your altar/  
And build a fire/  
It's getting cold/  
Nothing stops you in here/  
There's not a stone here/  
You're all alone/

You're going down, down, down/  
How low can you go?/  
You're going down, down, down/  
How low can you go?"

"You two catch any glimpse of Big, Pukey and Ugly?" asked Xander as he and Willow joined Buffy and Giles by the door. He took a bite of the candy bar in his hand and looked from the Slayer to Giles. He saw the way they stared at him. "What?" he asked, after he swallowed his bite. "I'm hungry, okay? And, besides, it's like the commercial says: Not going anywhere for a while?" He took another bite.

Buffy shook her head, rolling her eyes just a little. "No, we're still waiting for any signs of demon-y activity. I'm taking this guy out tonight, too. I'm sick and tired of him getting the best of me. He must be on demon steroids, he's not even that big." She scowled, recalling the previous encounters with the creature. It proved to be much more difficult to kill than any other demon its size. The thing had amazing strength.

Giles moved aside again for another teen then he pulled a kerchief out of his inner jacket pocket. Removing his glasses, he polished the lenses while he spoke to them.

"Size can be deceiving, Buffy, as you very well know. We shouldn't judge demons in such a way. When you combine that with the fact that my research has turned up nothing on this particular demon, it's very important that we -"

"That we be very cautious," Buffy finished for him. She nodded. "Yeah, Giles, we know."

"Maybe I should try another locating spell?" Willow suggested, hopefully. She'd tried one last week, but that ended in a big mess. A few little words were flipped around and a fire broke out in Giles's apartment instead of the location of the demon being revealed. Giles banned Willow from attempting any magick in his house - even saying the word "abracadabra" was forbidden. And the silent response she received from the other three answered that question. "Or not," Willow murmured, her shoulders slumping.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream rang out in The Bronze, which was followed by another then another until a panic had broken out in the club. The four of them turned towards the sound of the screams and watched as their demon picked up one of the teenager boys by the neck then hurled him halfway across the Bronze.

"The guest of honor has arrived," Buffy said as she yanked out a stake. At the same time, Giles brought out a crossbow, Xander drew the small axe hidden under his jacket and Willow tried to think of what spell she could use to defend them.

"You guys take the left, we'll take the right," Xander said motioning to Willow with his free hand. He took in a deep breath, shoved down his bubbling terror and headed off with Willow. The two of them did their best to not get trampled by the kids who fled the club as the demon continued to go on its rampage.

"We need to do something about these people," Willow called out, looking back to Xander. She glanced around, eyes alert and searching for a way to help. On the other side of the club, she saw Buffy and Giles coming up on the demon from behind. "This way, Xander." She took him by the arm and led him against the flow of people.

"Time to die," the demon snarled as he seized a girl by her hair. He pulled her back to him, placed both hands on her head and prepared to break her neck. Before he could do so a crossbow bolt grazing his arm surprised him. He hissed as he whirled around to see who it was. His eyes narrowed when he saw the Slayer and another human headed his way.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Buffy said when she saw the demon examining the nick Giles had made on its arm. Her head cocked to one side. "Did that interrupt your killing spree? That's too bad. But I have something that'll take your mind off of that cut." She threw a nasty right hook, connecting fiercely with the demon's head. "How do you like that?"

She was repaid with a hard backhanded punch from the creature. She flew backwards, slammed into Giles and the two of them tumbled to the floor together. Buffy groaned as she shook her head a few times. She blinked and tried to clear her vision. The world spun around and around. [Did anyone get the number of that wrecking ball?] she wondered.

Giles put his hands on the floor, pushed himself up to his knees and looked over to Buffy.

"Are you all right?" he asked. He watched her sit up, wiping away the blood that trickled from the gash in her lower lip. It wasn't anything life threatening, obviously, but it concerned him nonetheless. He hefted up his crossbow as Buffy nodded, placing a hand to her mouth at the same time.

The creature chuckled. The Slayer wasn't as tough as he'd heard. He took two steps to finish off the girl and the human with her. He stopped, though, when Xander's voice said, "Hey, buddy, aren't you forgetting a couple of people?" The demon turned and was struck in the face with the flat side of a battle-axe. It mildly stunned him and he staggered back a half step.

Xander backed up when he saw the way the demon snarled at him once it got over the surprise attack. "Uh oh. I think I made it mad, Will," he said. He nearly tripped over one of the chairs in his haste to duck when the demon made a grab for him. "Will! Hey! A little help might be good!" He yelped when the demon snagged the axe from him. "Like now!" Xander dove out of the way and the axe wedged itself into the floor where he'd just been standing.

"Goddess Hecate, work thy will," Willow's voice rang out in the Bronze. A steady wind began to build as she continued the rest of her spell in another language. Her eyes focused on the demon then she yelled out, "Hiri naga shumanzi!" Instead of the wind wall she wanted, a streak of lighting flew from her extended fingertips. And it shot right past the demon and headed towards Buffy and Giles. "LOOK OUT!"

"Giles, get out of the way!" Buffy grabbed her Watcher's arm and pulled him out of the path of the lighting bolt. She watched the bolt sail by them and slam into the wall of the Bronze, knocking a huge hole in the building upon impact. It wasn't a complete failure. The hole created by the flubbed spell allowed the teenagers another exit route. "You okay, Giles?"

"Yes," he breathed. He nodded then swallowed hard. That was a bit more than a near miss. "Yes, I'm fine. We'd better take care of this before we end up killing each other in this battle." He raised his crossbow and prepared to jump back into the fight, but the demon used the moment as his opportunity to escape. "Bloody hell."

"Xander, Willow!" Buffy yelled, turning around to see Willow helping Xander to his feet. She used her stake to point to the hole in the wall. "He's getting away! Come on! Let's go!" She jumped over a couple of fallen chairs, sprinted out of the Bronze and then down the alley in the direction the demon had gone.

"Buffy!" Willow called. [Oh great. She's gone after it alone.] "Xander, I'm going. Are you okay?" She didn't wait around for his answer. She pushed her way through the remaining teens and burst out of the main doors of the Bronze. "Buffy!" She looked to her left and saw her best friend hot on the heels of the armed demon. They were headed towards the remains of Sunnydale High School. "Buffy! Wait! Wait for me!" She ran after them.

Back inside, Xander stumbled over to Giles. "Hey, G-Man, you all right?" he asked. He saw the look on the Watcher's face, one he'd only seen a couple times in the years he'd known Giles - one time being when Giles was under the affects of tainted band candy. "Giles, you okay?"

"Yes, Xander," Giles coolly replied. He finished loading a new bolt then looked over to him. "I'm quite all right. Shall we?" He didn't plan to miss his mark the next time he shot at this demon.

"Let's shall," Xander told him, but he didn't take his eyes off Giles. He didn't blame the man for being frustrated with the whole situation. "Besides," he went on as they made for the exit. "I need to get my axe back from Big and Pukey. I think I was actually getting the hang of using it, too."

Outside, the two of them scanned the area for Buffy or Willow. "Do you see them?" asked Giles.

Xander turned around just in time to see Willow vanish around a corner. He pointed in that direction. "I just saw Will. She's going towards the school. Well, what's left of it." He wished he hadn't lost his weapon to the demon. Of course, having the weapon in the first place hadn't done him a lot of good. "Buffy must be headed in the same direction."

"And so will we."

-

Buffy's legs pumped as she chased the demon for two blocks. Sweat poured down her forehead, her cheeks and mixed with the blood dribbling down her neck from her busted lip. Hands clutched into fists, she kept her gaze fixed on the demon and concentrated on him. He wasn't going to get away again. Not tonight. Not again. This was going to end.

[I'm going to catch you, and when I do, I'm going to take that axe and shove it up your -]

"Buffy!" Willow breathlessly called out. She was half-running, half-staggering down the street about a block behind Buffy. A hand brushed her hair out of her face and she realized how much she was sweating. [We wouldn't be chasing this stupid demon if you hadn't screwed up that spell, Willow.]. Her legs shifted into autopilot, her eyes on Buffy as she continued to run. [You almost killed Giles.]

As they drew nearer to the school, Buffy began to tire. She slowed a little as she rounded the corner. The demon had tired as well; he wasn't quite as spry now. But it didn't seem to matter - about twenty yards straight ahead of them was a glimmering crack that appeared to be hanging in the air.

[That wasn't there before,] Buffy thought as she slowed a little more and her expression changed when she saw the "rip" in front of her. "What the hell is that?" she murmured. She didn't have much time to wonder what it was because the demon made a beeline for it. She blinked as the creature vanished into the shimmering chasm. "Oh, hell no! You're not getting away from me. Not again."

Willow saw Buffy had stopped and she felt a sense of relief. She was completely exhausted from running all over downtown Sunnydale. The witch-in-training drew in a deep breath of air then noticed the "rip" in the air ahead of her. [What's that?] She squinted at it. If she didn't know better, she could've sworn it was a - That's when the demon jumped into the shimmering hole and vanished. "Oh my God."

Buffy, her energy to tangle with this beast renewed, sprinted for the hole. She didn't hear Willow shouting at her to stop. All she could think of was killing that demon. She wouldn't be bested by it. She wouldn't let it get away again. No way. With no pause, she leapt right into the hole and she vanished just as the demon did.

"BUFFY!" Willow cried out as she watched her friend disappear. She turned around when she heard Xander calling her name. He and Giles jogged her way, obviously just as tired as she. Her head whipped around, attention back on the hole. It'd begun to flicker now and the edges were pulling inwards, slowly at first but with increasing speed with each passing seconds. "Oh, no, Buffy." Wherever Buffy had gone, she was alone. Not for long, though.

"Willow!" Giles called out as the redhead made a dash for the strange anomaly situated in front of the ruins of Sunnydale High school. "Willow, stop! Don't!" But it was useless. In the same manner as Buffy before her, Willow leaped into the light and vanished. Giles closed his eyes, shaking his head. Not only was Buffy missing so was Willow.

"Willow! Buffy!" Xander brushed past Giles and broke into a hard run. "Willow!" He ignored Giles just as Willow had. He couldn't let them be trapped wherever they were all alone. In a moment, he was through the collapsing rip, off to where Buffy, Willow and the demon had gone.

"Oh, sod it," Giles murmured. Buffy was his Slayer, his responsibility and so were Willow and Xander, even if their own carelessness was to blame. Clutching the crossbow tightly, he dove into the glowing split just before it closed on them completely.

++++++++++++++++++

The swirling blackness Buffy had traveled through once she jumped into the strange tear finally ended in a bright flash of light. Immediately following it, her back slammed hard onto something that felt like the ground. [Am I dead? Is there ground in the afterlife?] Slowly, her eyes opened. She shut them again when the glorious sunlight that rained down on her and warmed her body nearly blinded her. After a few seconds, she opened them again - very, very slowly.

"Oooh," she lightly moaned. Her left hand went to her forehead as she used her other hand to help push her into a sitting position. She shaded her eyes with her hand, taking in where she had landed. Her head swiveled around, a small gasp of amazement escaping her lips as she scanned the emerald countryside that was reminiscent of Ireland - at least the Ireland from TV and magazines.

She didn't get a chance to take in much more of the view, though. Another flash of light startled her and the next thing she knew she laid on her back with Willow, face down, half-sprawled over her. The redhead groaned loudly, lifted up an arm then let it drop back down onto the ground. The wind had been knocked out of her upon impact and about all she could do was blink.

"That ... wasn't very pleasant," Willow murmured. She raised her head and spat out a little dirt, grimacing at the same time. She sniffed, a puzzled expression crossing her face when she detected the heavenly aroma of flowers. [Where the heck did we go?] Then she remembered why she'd jumped into the rip. "Buffy?"

"Will," Buffy replied as she gently pushed her friend off of her so she could sit up again. Once up, she looked over to Willow. "Are you all right?" she asked when she noticed the smudge of dirt on Willow's left cheek. Buffy managed a small smile. "That's a good look for you. Nice and earthy."

"Ha ha," Willow flatly said as she pushed herself up to her knees. "That's really -" She paused; her eyes widened a bit when she finally had a decent look at where they'd landed. "Oh ... wow," she breathed. "Buffy, did you see this? Oh my. It's ... it's ... " Words couldn't describe how impressive the land was.

The lush green hills, speckled with tall trees, rolled on for what seemed forever. The blades of grass shimmered under the radiant sunlight thanks to the absence of clouds in the sky. And the sky, it was a color blue that Willow had never seen before, at least not in any skies where they came from. Small and modest homes dotted the countryside. Most of them appeared to be built right into the sides of the hills. Steady plumes of smoke rose from barely visible chimneys. The area was still inhabited, judging by the smoke and the faint sound of voices from the nearest of the hill houses. Simple dirt roads led away from where Willow and Buffy were, stretching beyond the hills and into areas unseen by the eye.

Buffy shook her head, turned her head and gazed upon the same breathtaking sight as Willow. "God, it's ... it's something else, Will," she said, her voice very light. She didn't realize she'd spoken so softly. But very rarely did anything enthrall Buffy as this place did. "Where do you think we are? The other side of the world?"

Suddenly, another flash of light erupted above them. Knowing exactly what would follow, Buffy pressed herself against the wall to her right but not before shoving Willow to the left. In the spot where the two girls had just been, Xander landed face down in the recently tilled dirt. He coughed but lay completely still, blinking a few times.

Buffy, pressed against the wall, cringed at the way Xander had slammed into the ground. He'd flattened more of the flowers that sprouted up all around them than Buffy and Willow combined. "Xander?" she cautiously asked when he just lay there, blinking. "Are you okay?" She exchanged a concerned glance with Willow.

Before she could get her answer, another flash of light produced Giles. The Watcher landed on his back but right on top of Xander. Willow shielded her eyes, turning away at the sight. That had to have hurt. Not only Giles but also Xander especially, judging by the whimpering sound he made.

"If you want to throw a little dirt on top of me, that'd be great, " Xander murmured. He grunted a few times as Giles managed to get his own mobility back and move so Xander wasn't pinned to the ground anymore. Xander still didn't move, though. "Wherever he lands, there shall he be buried." Placing both hands on the ground, he pushed himself up then looked around. "Where are we? Somebody's garden?"

Giles adjusted his glasses then looked at the ruined crossbow in his hand. He sighed then tossed it aside. Such a shame, but it was damaged beyond repair - it would be cheaper to buy a new one than try and replace the trigger system. They would be relatively safe, he figured, since wherever they were it was obviously daytime.

Then it hit him: exactly where were they? He craned his head so he could see the land more clearly. He blinked a few times; his eyes squinted as he followed the line of a dirt road as it headed towards the north and over a hill. Small houses were everywhere. [Where are we?]

It looked a little like England and even more like Ireland, but he'd never seen that style of architecture, or that size of architecture. Was it some kind of neighborhood for little people?

Willow pulled one of the light purple colored flowers closer so she could take in the fragrance. She smiled after breathing deeply. "I'd guess so," she said as she looked over her shoulder to Xander who now sat upright. "I've never smelled any flower quite like this one, though. It's ... kind of like a super-rose. Do ... do you guys think that portal put us in one of the other dimensions?" There was a bit of concern and worry in her voice now. "If so, how do we get back home?"

Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but she clamped it shut when somebody holding a small rake appeared at the edge of the garden, looking down on them with disdain. He was awfully short for a person, probably not even four feet, with a scraggily head of curly blondish hair and dark eyes. Judging by his clothes - a simple white shirt covered by a dark brown vest and a pair of wool pants - Buffy knew that they weren't anywhere in the U.S. of A. Except maybe Pennsylvania Dutch country yet that was highly unlikely. She glanced from his face to the dirty hand that gripped the handle of the rake.

"Uh ... guys?" she said when she found her voice. She nodded towards the new arrival.

"If you don't mind, would you please remove yourselves from the garden?" he politely asked, despite the annoyed expression on his face. When Xander stood up the little gardener had his first look at the damage done. He lifted his head to gaze up at Xander, who had a good two feet on him. "My flowers! You brute! Have you any idea how long it took to do this?" He gestured to the garden and the rows of crushed flowers and plants.

As the others stood up, they noticed that more people like the one before them had begun to crowd around. Judging by the suspicious looks and whispers, all of them were very curious and guarded about the strangers in their town. The whispering among them intensified as the four stepped out of the garden and into full view.

Willow leaned towards Buffy. "What are they?" she asked in a whisper. "They're ... so small." Her eyes shifted back to the others who kept their distance. They weren't as brave as the one holding the rake, apparently. It was obvious the Scooby Gang's presence in the place wasn't exactly appreciated by any of them. "I'm beginning to think that 'other dimension' theory is a good one."

"I don't know, Will." Buffy met the gaze of the rake-toting midget. She didn't detect any real malice in his eyes. He was simply pissed off that they'd landed on his property and mucked up his garden. And Buffy really couldn't blame him.

"They're kinda cute," Xander said as he took a few steps away from Giles, Buffy and Willow and toward the crowd of onlookers. He leaned over, smiling at them. "They're harmless. I can tell," he added, glancing over his shoulder at his friends then he looked back to the group. "Awww. It's like The Wizard of Oz, you guys. Munchkins."

"Munchkins?" declared one, taking a brave step forward. Indignant was the tone of his voice and the glare in his eyes. He wasn't quite sure what the word 'munchkin' meant, but it couldn't have been any sort of compliment, he figured. "Brute!" He yelled then gave Xander a swift kick in his shin.

"Ow!" Xander exclaimed, pulling up his leg and grabbing his shin with his hand. He hopped around on one leg. "That hurt! I oughta -" Before he could make his threat, the one who'd been standing next to the first assailant jumped in, kicking Xander in the other shin. "Ow!"

"Xander..." Willow put a hand over her face to hide her smile. She couldn't help it. Her shoulders lightly shook with quiet laughter. She looked over to Buffy. The Slayer too tried not to laugh aloud at the embarrassment befalling poor Xander. He'd brought it on himself, though.

"Ow! Hey! Knock it off!" Xander yelled as the two continued to kick him. "Hey!" He was about to make a move on them but he stumbled backwards in surprise when a towering, bearded figure dressed in a long gray robe stepped from out of nowhere. Xander watched as the older man placed one hand on the shoulder of each of the midgets who'd attacked him.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, that's quite enough," the bearded man said as the two of them, aware they were in some kind of trouble now, tilted their heads back until they were looking straight up at him. "Is that any way to treat strangers? Strangers who are obviously unfamiliar with their surroundings?" He raised a bushy eyebrow at the two then let go of their shoulders. "Well?"

"He insulted us," declared the first assailant, pointing angrily at Xander. "Pippin and I were only defending our honor. Besides, he's gone and made a mess of poor Frodo's garden! If he was here, he'd have done the same, Master Gandalf."

There was a general murmur of assent from the crowd.

Buffy heard Giles make some kind of noise beside her. She looked up at him, then her brow furrowed in concern. "Giles?" she asked in a low voice. She nudged him gently until he looked at her. "Giles, are you okay? You look like somebody walked over your grave."

Giles shook his head. "I'm not..." He gingerly stepped through what was left of the garden until he reached Xander and the crowd of little people.

"Excuse me a moment," Giles said. "This is going to sound rather odd, but... where are we?"

"In Master Frodo's garden!" the one called Meriadoc exclaimed to general applause from his fellow villagers.

"Yes, but how did they end up there, I wonder," the elderly man murmured to himself. He looked up at Giles and stared deep into his eyes for a long stretch, then frowned quizzically and turned his attention to Xander, Willow and finally Buffy. "Well. This is a discussion better held away from all these listening ears and spying eyes," the man announced, waving his arm at the crowd.

There was a slight noise of disappointment, most noticeable from Meriadoc and Peregrin, but the crowd did disperse with little more than a hint of a glare from the man in the gray robes.

"I don't think young Master Baggins will much object if we hold our counsel in his home." He pointed his long, gnarled walking stick at the round wooden door in the side of the hill. "If you're quite done trampling the flowers, that is," he added with a sly grin.

Giles nodded slowly and followed the man into the hillside. He stopped in the doorway and turned back. "I think... I think we should do as he says," he told the children, then vanished into the house.

Inside, he had to stoop his head to walk around. The ceiling was barely five feet above the floor, and the furniture was built to match.

"A bit tight for the 'Big Folk', but homely enough," the robed man told Giles. "The finest hobbit hole in this part of the Shire, to be honest."

"Hobbit hole?" Giles repeated absently. He was trying to make sense of all this. They'd clearly been sent to somewhere else, but he'd never heard of a demon dimension anything like this. And the resemblance to England was uncanny. Deep in his heart, he felt like he was home. But that was insane. England wasn't home to villages of little people who lived inside hills.

Little people who live inside hills.

He suddenly gasped and stood up, catching himself before he hit his head on the ceiling.

Giles realized that the man was staring at him and that Buffy, Xander and Willow were in the doorway, probably also staring at him. "Sorry. Not used to all of this," Giles explained, waving his hand at the diminutive house.

"Few of the Big Folk are," the other man noted as he stooped over to hang his hat on a peg on the wall.

"Big Folk?" Xander said from the doorway. "Is that what they call us?"

"Indeed it is. And Big Folk you are, by Hobbit standards. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable. Frodo seems to have wandered off for afternoon, but I'm sure he won't mind as long as you don't break the crockery as you have his flowers."

"Frodo? Who's Frodo? And who are you? And where are we?" Buffy asked as she joined Giles in the tiny foyer.

"In order - Master of Bag-End, Frodo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, and Bag-End in the Shire," the man replied. He bowed deeply.

"The Shire." Giles shook his head. "Impossible."

Gandalf turned his piercing gaze on Giles. "Am I to assume you didn't intend to drop out of the sky and ruin the prize-winning roses?"

"Not... not as such, no," Giles confessed. The Shire, Hobbits, Big Folk. The pieces were slowly coming together, but the picture they formed was simply impossible, but how else to explain it? He looked across the room at this Gandalf then haltingly murmured a quick phrase in a melodic language.

Gandalf's bristly eyebrows shot up and he laughed in a kindly manner. "A passable go at Sindarin, even if I am not, in fact, a good morning."

"Sindarin. Good God." Giles took his glasses off and rubbed them even though they were perfectly clean. "Impossible."

"Giles, help me out here," Buffy hissed. "What the hell is going on, what weird dimension are we in?"

"We haven't gone to another world, Buffy. We've gone back in time."

"Huh?"

"Back in time," Giles repeated patiently. He wasn't all that eager to accept the idea himself. "This place and Hobbits, it all fits. God. Time travel. I never -"

"Giles, make with the explanation part!" Buffy exclaimed. "Where - when - are we?"

"Oh. I'm not really sure," Giles replied. "But there are old legends - folk tales, really - about a race of little folk who lived in the hills and caves of the British Isles. I always took them for medieval nonsense, like the legends about golems and Aelfwine the Sailor." He shook his head. "At any rate, nobody reputable has seen one of these little people in nearly eight hundred years."

"So... we're back in the Dark Ages?"

"No, it's rather more than that." Giles waved at the hobbit-house around them. "Nothing like this has ever been discovered in Britain. We must be thousands of years in the past."

"Oh, wow," Willow whispered. She'd snuck in during Giles explanation and listened quietly and with increasing wonder. All the things about the mythic ages she'd read - lost magicks, spells and talismans she could only dream of. "Wow."

"Right. More importantly, how do we get home?" Xander asked. He'd come inside right behind Willow.

"I don't know," Giles admitted. He found himself turning to Gandalf. The little folk - Hobbits - seemed to consider him an authority figure. And they didn't have many other people to turn to for help, thanks to Xander's antics. "I don't even know when in history we are."

"If it means anything to you, and I have more than half a suspicion it won't, it's the year 3008 of the Third Age," the wizard supplied. He then produced a long wooden pipe from somewhere inside his robe and lit it with quick, practiced movements.

"I'm afraid it doesn't. It's the year 1999 by our calendar."

Buffy shook her head, trying to take in everything Giles had said. They were in the past, thousands of years in the past, or so Giles and the old guy seemed to agree on. Well, whatever 3008 of the Third Age meant in the grand scheme of things. [You just had to jump into that rip, didn't you, Buffy? Now look at us. We're all stuck in Munchkinland because you screwed up.] She sighed heavily, her head dropping a bit. [This is my fault.]

Xander noticed Buffy's reaction to all of the information they'd become privy to. It was very difficult for him to wrap his mind around this as well. What really bothered him was Giles's response. He seemed to know about this place, more than he told them at the moment. He slid his gaze over to the older gentleman who'd saved him from the two midgets. And this guy, he was creepy in a Watcher way. Maybe it was the weird accent he spoke with.

"Hm. 1999." Gandalf exhaled a smoke-ring that floated up into the air just over his head and hung there. For a second, Giles imagined there was a flicker of - something - in his eyes then it passed. "This is one of the oddest mysteries I've encountered in all my years. I've never heard of anyone - Man, Hobbit, Elf or otherwise - pushing his way back through the river of time. And if it weren't for other pressing business, I'd be willing to spend a year and a day getting to the bottom of it. But perhaps there are others who might be of aid."

At that very moment, another Hobbit appeared in the doorway. "Gandalf! Vandals trampled my rose garden and Pippin says - " He took in the sight of Gandalf and the four others and blinked a few times. "Gandalf - what? Who?" The completely flustered Hobbit asked as he stared at the strangers squatting in his foyer.

"And here's young Master Baggins now. Frodo, this is Giles and - " Gandalf paused. He hadn't caught the names of the three young humans.

"Buffy, Xander and Willow," Giles filled in, nodding at each in turn.

"Right then. Pleased to meet you." Still rather off balance, Frodo sat down just inside the doorway.

Xander stifled the urge to make any Wizard of Oz comments. Being kicked in the shins wasn't something he wanted to experience again that day, or ever. He felt his face flush briefly. How embarrassing it was, now that he had a moment to think about it. [Beaten up by a bunch of four foot Hobbit things. I'm more of a pathetic loser than I thought.]

"These visitors and I were just discussing their peculiar plight." Gandalf blew another smoke-ring out the pipe. It drifted up and joined its fellow, which had yet to fade away, above his head. He then explained the basics of their situation, at least such as they had revealed so far. "As I was saying, there may be others who could help them. In the House of Elrond, much ancient lore remains that even I know little of."

"Huh?" Xander whispered.

"Stuff that might help us get home," Willow whispered back. "Shh!"

Ignoring the hushed conversation, Gandalf smiled at Frodo. "You've wanted to see the Elves for quite some time, if I don't miss my guess."

"Well, yes, but - "

"Splendid! You're past due for a holiday at any rate." Gandalf stood up and plucked his hat off the peg.

"But - "

"Now now, no time for that." The wizard stowed his pipe away.

"Wait a moment, please," Giles said. "What Elves?"

"*The* Elves," Gandalf replied, as if that was answer enough.

"Elves?" Xander murmured to Willow as he leaned towards her. "I want to see some Elves myself. I'd like to know why that bicycle I got when I was seven broke apart after only a week of riding it. Ruined my Christmas, that's for sure." He winced when Willow punched him in the arm and gave him a "shut up" look. "Ow. What? What did I say?"

"Frodo, I'm sure you know the way well enough from Bilbo's story."

Frodo blinked. "Well, yes, but he had you and the Dwarves with him."

"And you have these four. There's more to them than it seems, I'm certain."

"Hello? Excuse me? Can you not talk like we're not standing right here?" Buffy muttered. This guy was a weirder version of Wesley if that was even possible. She was curious as to how he "knew" so much about them, they'd only just met. The look in his eyes - when she managed to catch a glimpse of them - it was odd.

Gandalf glared at her for a moment, then smiled. "Of course. My apologies. But it really is the only way. Frodo, pack what you'll need. See if you can't find those spare bedrolls Balin once gave Bilbo. I do believe he left them here after the infamous party."

"Party? Damn, we missed a party," Xander whispered, but that only earned him another slug in the arm from Willow. "Ow. Okay. I get the point. No more talking." He rubbed his arm, scowling as he gave her a sideways glance.

"Right." Frodo shook his head in confusion, and then vanished down one of the hallways.

"Now, then, I shall have to write you a letter of introduction. Lord Elrond is rather wary about who he lets pass the gates of Rivendell. Frodo would be welcome, of course, but - well, we shall see." He ducked into the room immediately off to the left of the entrance and returned a moment later with a sheet of parchment and a quill pen. Balancing the parchment on his knee,  
Gandalf scrawled a message in an elegant, curving alphabet, then rolled the sheet up and handed it to Giles. "Present this to him and you'll be welcomed as honored guests. See that you don't lose it!"

"Right." Giles carefully accepted the scroll.

"Good." Gandalf turned just in time to see Frodo return with an armful of crude sleeping bags and a knapsack hanging from his shoulder. "And good again! It's not even noon yet - the perfect time to begin a journey. I'll settle your affairs here and set young masters Took and Brandybuck to watch Bag-End in your absence. I'm sure they'll keep your Sackville relations at bay if nothing else. And with any luck, we may meet again before too long."

With a little more nudging from Gandalf, all five were out the door and on the road down the Hill before too long. Frodo, hopelessly bewildered by it all, made a few attempts to point out the scenic highlights of the Shire, but only Giles was all that interested. After an hour or so, Frodo gave up and walked on in silence, pointedly thinking that nobody except Gandalf could have got him on this wild adventure - that most unhobbitish word - at such short notice.

And he hoped the silverware would all be there when he returned.

End Chapter 1

To Be Continued ...


	2. Slayer

Rating: PG-13 - Violence, mild language.   
  
Disclaimer: All _Buffy_ characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy Productions. _Lord of the Rings_ characters and universe belong to Mr. J.R.R. Tolkien.  
  
-  
  
Chapter 2 - "Slayer"  
  
-  
  
By the end of the day, they had crossed a good portion of the West Farthing of the Shire and neared the Three Farthing Stone at the very center of the Hobbit's little realm. They managed to find a room at one of the many inns there, even if the accommodations were rather cramped for the four humans.  
  
The next two days unfolded much the same - each morning, the small company would set out and Frodo would make another attempt at conversation that invariably died down by noon. The gap between him and the others was simply too great, despite attempts, grudging and otherwise, by both sides. Giles was mostly engaged in a frustrating attempt to match the various landmarks with his native land, Xander moped and made the odd tired joke, Buffy marched in silence and  
Willow listened closely as Frodo told the occasional fanciful tale of ancient, even to him, magic.  
  
The only other travelers were a few Hobbit shepherds and farmers invariably stopped and gawked at the odd parade of Big Folk.  
  
Xander fell in step beside Buffy, shoving his hands in his pockets at the same time. He gave her a sideways glance, noting the solemn expression on her face; it was the same look she'd worn since they'd arrived in this bizarro world.   
  
"Penny for your thoughts?" he said. He half-smiled when she looked over to him. "Just wondering what's on your mind. You've been Non-Talkative Girl the last couple days. That's not very Buffy-like."  
  
Buffy pressed her lips together then let her gaze drop down to the ground. She watched the grass roll by as they continued to walk along, following their guide whom Giles was rather interested in. "I've been thinking, Xander, that's all," she replied, quietly.  
  
"About what?" He didn't like the look she wore. Buffy frowned too much lately. Of course, that was understandable after the debacle with Faith, the Mayor and then Dead Boy pulled up stakes and ditched her. She'd been distracted. The new demon didn't help matters any, either. He'd rarely seen her so frustrated over a particular demon.  
  
"Home." She shrugged a bit. "I never appreciated it until now. I'm waiting for my mom to show up and start bothering me about, I don't know, anything." Her head lifted up and she shifted her gaze over to him. "I miss her. I miss Sunnydale, if that's even possible. Well, it must be because here I am, missing it. I'm sorry, I'm blathering on about nothing."  
  
"No, you're not blathering on about nothing. It's just that I haven't given a whole lot of thought to home." He gave a careless shrug then focused his attention on Giles and the Hobbit, Frodo, in front of them. "I doubt my parents even realize I'm gone. If they have, they're probably packing my crap up and sending it to the Salvation Army."  
  
Buffy bit her lower lip and felt guilty for complaining to Xander, of all people, about missing home and her mother. She'd forgotten that his home-life wasn't exactly Leave It To Beaver. It was more along the lines of The Invisible Man.   
  
"I doubt they're doing that, Xander," she assured him.  
  
"I wouldn't put it past them," he muttered.   
  
Willow bounded up to them, a bouquet of various and sundry flowers gathered in her hands. "Hey, what's going on? Secret stuff?" she asked. Her face twisted up in concern when she saw the mood of her friends. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, Will," Buffy replied when Xander remained silent. She tried to smile. "We were just wondering if we'd ever get back home. Thousands of years in the past is, uh, pretty darned far back. I hope these Elves we're going to see actually know something." She glanced back to Giles. "Have you guys noticed how weird Giles has been acting since we've been here? Like there's something he knows and he's not telling us?"  
  
Willow nodded then she smelled the flowers she'd plucked. "Yeah, I noticed that, too. He's been asking that Frodo a lot of strange questions. What do you think it is?" She brushed her fingertips over the flower petals. She'd been enjoying the stay in - wherever it was in time they were. She'd never been anywhere so beautiful, so full of life and simple things. In the future, everything was so darned complicated. Not here, though.   
  
"It's not like Giles to keep stuff from us, especially if it's important," Buffy said. She paused a few moments, staring ahead at her Watcher, wondering exactly what he knew and why he didn't want to talk about it. She looked back to her friends. "I mean, when he heard names and places from that Gandalf guy, he got freaky. Remember?"  
  
"You know ..." Willow's expression became thoughtful as she brushed the petals of her flowers under her chin. "If we're thousands of years in the past, like Giles says, then things are a lot different than what we're taught in school about this time period. Whenever this Third Age is in our own calendar. And where did all these Elves and Hobbit creatures come from? Do you remember seeing any of them in Giles's books? I sure don't. And he's never made any mention of any of these beings."  
  
"I'll be up here because this discussion is getting way too academic for me," Xander interrupted as he pointed a finger towards Giles and Frodo. He picked up the pace to get away from the two girls.  
  
Willow shook her head but she didn't say anything. Somehow, some way, she'd figure out what was going on. She knew Buffy would be right there with her, too.  
  
"We should make the Brandywine Bridge by nightfall," Frodo said. "It's another two days' travel from there to Bree."  
  
"And after that?" Giles asked, only half-listening. His attention was fixed upon the gently rolling hills to their south. Just like the south of England... It was uncanny.  
  
Frodo shrugged. "Two weeks, perhaps, or ten days," he replied. "I've never gone that far from the Shire."  
  
Giles nodded. He'd noticed the young Hobbit was rather out-of-sorts since he'd recovered from the initial shock of being hustled out the door by Gandalf. "Perhaps - "  
  
Whatever he intended to say was drowned out by the sudden whiny of a horse followed immediately thereafter by the clang of steel on steel. Both sounds were faint and echoed twice from the hill country to the south of the ancient road.  
  
Frodo froze and glanced nervously at his human companions.  
  
"Sounds like somebody's in trouble," Buffy commented as she gazed southward, the direction from which the commotion originated. After nearly three days of boredom, the chance to get into a fight more than appealed to her. She felt rather useless in this land; another reason to get back to Sunnydale as soon as possible. "I'll go check it out."  
  
Before she could, however, a distant figure appeared on the crest of a hill perhaps a mile away. A few seconds later, another figure, mounted, also appeared and gave chase after the first one.  
  
"Or it can come check us out," said Xander. He shaded his eyes and squinted to get a better look at the hubbub. He could see the glint of the sunlight against the blade of the sword as the rider wielded it. His hand dropped to his side. "Guys, they're coming this way."  
  
"Hey, isn't that ...?" Willow's words trailed off. The person being pursued by the rider wasn't a person at all. She pointed. "It's that demon! The one we chased into the time rip! He's the whole reason we're stuck here!"  
  
"And he's still got my axe, too!" added Xander.  
  
"But who is that on the horse?" Giles wondered aloud. He couldn't make out much of the rider - the body was fairly well hidden by a flowing hooded cloak. The rider reined his horse to a stop when the demon turned to face off with the mounted figure. He narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look at the mysterious person.  
  
The rider swung one leg over the horse and leaped down from the saddle before the animal came to a full stop. Both hands gripped the handle of the sword and brought it up to block a swing from the demon. The metal from the sword clanged loudly against that of the axe. The rider planted a foot square in the chest of the demon, hurling it backwards a few steps, then he advanced on the demon while it was off-balance.   
  
The sword came down again before the demon could prepare a proper defense, and the blade tore across the forearm of the beast. It howled in pain, dropping the axe at the same time. The swordsman took the weapon in both hands again then spun around bringing the blade with him at the same time; it slashed across the demon's gut, cutting it wide open. The demon dropped to the rider's feet and lay there, motionless.  
  
"Wow," Willow murmured, her eyebrows arching. That was some warrior - to do in about a minute what the four of them had spent two weeks trying to accomplish. She looked over to Buffy. "Did you see that?"  
  
"Yeah, I did, Will." Buffy stared at the rider as he kneeled down and began to search the demon's corpse. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she leaned closer to her friend. "You suppose this guy's on our side? He did kill that demon."  
  
Willow shrugged. "I couldn't say. Even evil'll slay evil when it suits them."  
  
The rider stood up again, throwing off the hood of the cloak at the same time. Wavy locks of dirty blonde hair tumbled from underneath it. When the rider threw back the cloak over his shoulders, a form most definitely female was revealed. She wore a simple brown tunic and riding skirt underneath a glimmering chain mail shirt and knee high, worn leather boots - attire most common for Rangers, or so Frodo had heard.  
  
Frodo had also heard the stories from Dwarves who occasionally passed through the Shire, stories about a crazy Dunedain warrior woman. He'd taken them as just that though, stories. He couldn't deny what his eyes gazed upon, however. What was the strange title they'd attributed to her? Slayer. Yes, it was Slayer.  
  
The woman slid her sword back into the sheath that was strapped to her horse. As she looked to her left, she realized she had an audience. Taking the bridle into her gloved hand, she headed toward the onlookers, nudging the dead orc with her foot as she passed by him. As she neared the strangers, she looked from the young Hobbit with them to each human, noting the odd dress of them.  
  
"Who is she?" Giles asked Frodo in a hushed voice. He didn't take his eyes off the woman as she crossed the land that separated them. The closer she came, the more clear a view he had of her. She was quite a striking woman - rather tall, fair of face and the eyes - they were very intense, the most piercing shade of blue he'd ever seen.  
  
"I don't know her right name, but the Dwarves call her 'Slayer'," the Hobbit whispered back. He drew back when Giles gasped. "What is it?"  
  
Giles ignored Frodo's question. He cleared his throat as the woman neared them. "Er - hello."  
  
She smiled politely and bowed her head without ever taking her eyes off of them. "Good morn," the woman said in a soft, cautious voice. She'd never seen such an odd company of Men. Their dress and manner, such as she could tell so far, was unlike any she knew. Memories of her dreams stirred in her mind - dreams that warned her of Evil to come. In recent weeks, she'd dreamed of an arrival of Men from a foreign land. Could, perhaps, these be the ones?  
  
Buffy looked the woman up and down, folding her arms across her chest at the same time. Well, she wasn't exactly ready for the next issue of Vogue, but the clothes were rather travel friendly. In fact, it appeared as though their mysterious warrior woman had traveled far and hard very recently. Mud was splattered on the boots and upon the wool cloak.  
  
Xander, however, was stunned by how lovely the woman was. He'd never seen eyes such as this woman's. And every single part of her body was well toned and very curvy and drenched in glistening sweat. [Okay, think about something else, think about something else. Don't look at the hot chick. Think about something repulsive.]  
  
There was a brief, slightly awkward silence then Xander coughed. "Hey. Good work with the sword and killing the demon, Lady We Don't Know," he said.  
  
"Elenya," she quickly replied. Her head cocked a little to the left as she regarded Xander. He wouldn't look her in the eye and shifted about in place, apparently nervous about something. "Of Lake Nenuial. And what demon?"  
  
"What do you mean, what demon? That demon over there," Buffy replied, she pointed at the fallen monster. Her arm dropped back to her side as she looked back to Elenya. "The one that was terrorizing our town, and that we've been chasing around for weeks and you just killed."  
  
Elenya, as she called herself, turned and let out a quick laugh. "That's no demon, merely an Orc, if stronger and more cunning than most. More stubborn than skilled, though." She shrugged and turned away from the dead Orc. If that was considered a demon where these strangers were from, they would be very impressed with the true demons of her lands. She gazed into Buffy's eyes, seeing something in them to which she felt connected.  
  
"Oh, well, yeah. Stubborn as in he wouldn't friggin' die when we tried to kill him." Buffy frowned. [Sure, make it sound so easy.] "But, hey, you came along and skewered him." She gave the woman a thumbs up. "Nice work."  
  
Willow glanced at Buffy, frowning herself for a moment. She didn't have to hear Buffy say it, but it really bothered her that this Elenya had been the one to kill the Orc. The battle had become rather personal between Buffy and the creature - he'd slipped away from her so many times before.   
  
"What are you called?" Elenya asked, focusing on Giles as their leader. But even as soon as she spoke the words, she froze. The dreams demanded her attention; they wanted to be heard. A hand drew up to Elenya's temple, brushing her face lightly and she blinked twice as flashes of the darkness filled her mind's eye. Four figures walked out of the West, followed closely by a black cloud, vast and threatening both in itself and for what it hid. But the halos of light surrounding the figures indicated that they weren't the bringers of the dark - it merely followed them and for what end? Elenya did not know.   
  
She blinked again and sighed as the vision left her. It was hard when the guiding hand of the Powers left her and her senses were returned to the world of death.  
  
Buffy nudged Willow then nodded to Elenya while the woman went through her episode. "What do you think that was about?" she asked in a whisper. Willow only shrugged in reply.  
  
Elenya dropped her hand and focused on Giles again as he responded to her inquiry.  
  
"Rupert Giles. And my friends - Xander Harris, Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg." He smiled at her then noticed Frodo. "And, uh, Frodo. Of the Shire."  
  
Elenya nodded slowly, but her eyes narrowed just slightly. "And where are you from?" she asked the group. If these were the beings from her dreams, she would need information from them, and perhaps about the darkness that came in their wake.  
  
[Excellent question.] Giles stopped himself from saying Sunnydale, a town that wouldn't exist for millennia. Before he could come up with a suitable answer, though, Buffy spoke up. "Out west. Way out west."  
  
The blonde woman's eyes lit up like stars. "The True West? Beyond the Sea?" she asked in an awed whisper, one hand flying to her heart and a look of absolute wonder on her face. "Have - have you come from the Undying Lands?"  
  
"Whoa. I think we have some crossed wires here, lady," Xander replied. He shook his head and turned to Giles. "We don't know anything about that. Right?" [The Undying Lands? Whenever the next boat for that place is sailing, I'm on it. Undying, as in not dying - sounds like a paradise to me.]  
  
The Watcher nodded blankly, but Elenya's words were itching at forgotten memories.  
  
For her part, Elenya's shoulders slumped and she smiled ruefully. "Forgive me. I thought - but no. It matters not." She glanced at Frodo for a moment, wondering what brought a Hobbit into such odd company.  
  
He heard the unspoken question. "I'm guiding them ... to Bree," Frodo said, not quite ready to trust this stranger with the name of their true goal, even if she was one of the good Men of the North.  
  
"Bree? Then our road is the same," Elenya declared. She smiled. "Certainly a chance-meeting, especially if you were also tracking my foe the Orc," she added, not so certain this was vulgar chance. The longer she interacted with the strangers from whatever distant land they called home, the more convinced she became that her dreams and visions spoke of these before her. Her instincts had compelled her to ride South from the land of her people, instead of East to seek out the rumors of war beyond the Misty Mountains. And here, while chasing the  
only Orc to enter the Shire in centuries, she'd met this strange band of travelers. No, this was more than chance.  
  
"You're going to Bree?" Frodo wondered aloud. "How wonderful! Now I might go home." He blinked abruptly realizing his thoughts had been spoken. "I mean - "  
  
"It's okay," Giles assured the young Hobbit. "I think we can manage."  
  
"Giles, are you sure?" Willow whispered. It was one thing to go around with harmless little Frodo, but this lady was another story entirely.   
  
"Yes, trust me."  
  
"Mr. Giles is right. You'll be in good hands with Slayer, I'm sure."  
  
Buffy blinked three times before she could croak out - "Slayer?"  
  
"Excuse me, did you say 'Slayer'?" Xander asked as he leaned towards Frodo, a hand cupped one of his ears. "I must be hearing things, because I could've sworn you said 'Slayer'."  
  
"*The* Slayer," Elenya corrected. The reaction this elicited from the odd folk was quite interesting. "Merely a nickname," she quickly assured them.  
  
"A nickname? Isn't it a small world! Your nickname is my nickname, too," Buffy replied, jerking a thumb at herself. [That explains a lot, anyway. Figures.]  
  
"No, that cannot be," Elenya insisted. "There can be only one." But even as she spoke the words, she knew what Buffy said to be truth. Energy existed between them, an energy that Elenya could feel but it was deep within her. She wondered if Buffy could sense the connection too. A moment of gazing into the blonde's eyes yielded nothing to indicate that the feeling was mutual.  
  
Xander laughed, then shrugged when all eyes turned to him. "It would take too long to explain."  
  
"Look, I know you've been told that there can be only one, but I'm a Slayer," Buffy calmly explained. "Then there's that rule about it, but sometimes, you have those ... uh, what do you call them?" She looked over to Willow for help.  
  
"Umm, mitigating circumstances?" Willow suggested.  
  
"Yeah, that sounds good enough. You have these mitigating circumstances and then, well ..." She trailed off when she saw the look on Elenya's face. None of this was making any sense at all to her. [Okay, so skip that.] "I'm a Slayer, just like you, okay? I can fully back up my claim, too." Should she mentioned the little thing about them being from the future? Would it hurt? "I'm from the - "  
  
Giles interrupted Buffy before she revealed just where they were really from. "Perhaps we could sort all this out on the road?"  
  
"Perhaps, although I feel it may be a longer story than the ride to Bree allows." Elenya shrugged. "We shall see. Master Hobbit, if you will, you may return to your home. I will guide them and protect them on the way to Bree, or die in the attempt," she assured him.  
  
Satisfied by the attempt and, his interest in seeing Rivendell aside, daunted by the prospect of a journey into the wild, Frodo nodded. "If they will have you."  
  
"We will," Giles quickly interjected. He wanted to learn more about this ancient Slayer, and listen to what stories she had of this world in which they had arrived. He glanced over to Buffy who raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
Frodo smiled. "It was good to meet you," he said, perhaps exercising more kindliness than honesty, and then he said farewell to all and began to march back down the road west to Hobbiton. He stopped at a slight dip in the road, turned and waved, then hurried onwards, soon disappearing into the distance.  
  
"Bye, little guy!"  
  
"Xander!"  
  
Xander turned around. "What? I didn't mean - "  
  
Willow sighed. "Let's just go, okay?"  
  
"A good idea. Bree is still a good day's march." Elenya gripped her saddle and then gracefully leapt back up onto her steed. "Aratar can bear more than one rider for a stretch, if any of you are weary," she offered.   
  
"I'm good," Xander assured her as he held up his hands, looking warily at the horse. "Horses and I - not a good mix, if you know what I mean. The ponies at the Sunnydale Fair had it in for me when I was a kid."  
  
Willow gave a longing look, though. She was rather tired. The canvas shoes she wore weren't exactly the best for this all-terrain traveling they'd been doing. However, she had reservations about horseback riding as well. The Sunnydale Fair ponies didn't like her either. Finally, she decided that she'd keep with the walking.  
  
When none of them joined Elenya atop her horse, she shrugged then nudged her mount with her heels and the beautiful white warhorse slowly clip clopped over the ancient stones of the East-West Road.  
  
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Elenya, at first more interested in learning the lore of these strangers than sharing what she knew, soon realized they intended to keep their secrets for the time being. If not for her vision, she would have been more forceful with her questions, but instead she let it be and told them more about the Shire and the lands bordering it. She knew much of its history that Frodo and the Hobbits had long since forgotten, especially of the wars of ages past.  
  
Giles listened attentively. From time to time, he would recognize a name from Elenya's stories, but very rarely.   
  
[Absolutely amazing. This woman knows more about the ancient world than all the Council's archaeologists together,] Giles thought as she spoke of the long-ago wars between Arthedain, a kingdom unfamiliar to him, and Angmar, which was not. The name survived in a few ancient books of black magic that the Council held.  
  
"And both kingdoms are gone now?" Giles asked when the latest tale was over.  
  
Elenya nodded sadly. "Arthedain fell long ago to the armies of the Witch-King. But he too is dust, and his realm is empty except for memories and bones and a few lingering servants of the Dark Lord," she added. "Trolls wandering in the barren hills, and vampires who dwell in the crumbling fortresses."  
  
"Vampires?" Buffy asked, suddenly interested in what Elenya had to say. [Great! Something that I recognize!] "There are vampires here?"  
  
"No, not here. North, past even the lands where my people dwell," Elenya corrected. "Most lie asleep in ancient tombs, but a few still walk in the darkness of Angmar."  
  
"Whew," Xander murmured, relief washing over him. "That's good. One less thing we have to worry about trying to kill us." He went back to weaving a few of the flowers that Willow had picked into a circlet. So it wasn't a manly thing to do, but it killed time and took his mind off the long walk.  
  
Willow tucked one of the bright yellow flowers that resembled a daisy behind her left ear then looked up at Elenya. "Have you ever fought one before?" she asked. It wasn't odd that Elenya would kill other nasty creatures yet it sounded as though she rarely killed vampires.  
  
"I fought one long ago." Elenya shivered a little. "I was young than, and perhaps too bold. The battle lasted much of the night and it nearly bested me."  
  
Buffy frowned a little. That didn't make much sense from what she'd seen of Elenya in action so far. "Just one vamp? But you kicked that Orc's ass pretty good."  
  
"Just one - vamp? I do not know what the vampires are like in your lands, but here they are powerful enemies. In the First Age, they were second only to the Balrogs and Dragons in the ranks of the Dark Lord's minions. Twisted spirits cloaked in flesh." She shook away an unpleasant memory.   
  
"Dragons?" Xander asked, his voice two octaves higher than it should've been, as his head snapped up and to attention. "Did you say 'dragons'?" He looked over to Willow and tapped her on the shoulder. "There are dragons here."  
  
"Shhh," Willow hissed, placing a finger to her lips. She wanted to hear what Elenya had to say. It might be useful in the future.  
  
Buffy ignored Xander's commentary. "Like how strong are you talking about here?" she inquired, an eyebrow cocking as she gazed up at Elenya.  
  
"Stronger than a troll. And few weapons forged by Men can cut the darkness that armors them." She suddenly unsheathed her long bright sword and ran one finger down the blade. "Even Dwarf-steel was hard put to cut that creature's head from its neck. But it served in the end."  
  
Buffy just shook her head. She'd met some nasty vampires - The Master and Kakistos immediately came to mind - but it sounded like they were ALL like that around here. She almost asked what a Balrog was, but decided she probably didn't want to know. Ignorance was most definitely bliss in this case.   
  
"It's not the same where you come from, is it?" Elenya asked.  
  
Buffy humorlessly laughed. "Uh, no, not really. Where we're from vampires are... well, most of them are pretty weak. We're not talking an all nighter with one bloodsucker. Go out on patrol, kill five or six vampires, have a snack then go to bed."  
  
"Five or six?" Elenya repeated in disbelief. Five or six vampires - that was a force that could destroy a city or stand face to face with an army. Either this young Slayer was more than she appeared or the vampires of her home were pitiful things. Most likely both, Elenya concluded. "I would like to see this land of yours."  
  
"I'd like to show it to you," Buffy answered. [That would mean we'd be home and not here.] "Who knows, maybe you will get to see it some day."  
  
Elenya smiled a little. "So tell me more about the beasts you've fought," she said as they continued on towards Bree.  
  
For much of the rest of the day, Buffy and Elenya shared a few stories of their battles. As they did, Buffy wondered if she was out of her league in Middle-Earth. Even the most dangerous enemies - the Master, Angelus, and the Mayor - seemed like everyday challenges to Elenya. And the things that Elenya had fought - vampires, great orc warlords, troll chieftains, and an entire aerie of hideous flying monsters she had no name for - sounded a hell of a lot stronger than almost anything that had ever shown up in Sunnydale.   
  
The sun had set hours ago and only the two Slayers were still awake. Willow had gone to sleep first and with little warning, then Giles and finally Xander.  
  
"Been a while since I sat around a campfire," Buffy said as she folded her arms and rubbed her upper arms with her hands to ward off the chilly night air. Her head tipped back a bit so she could gaze up at the stars. The sky was so alien to her - no stars were in the right place. Every time the sun went down since they'd arrived in this strange land, Buffy knew how far away from home they were.   
  
She sighed heavily as she lowered her gaze back down to the fire. She leaned over, plucked up a stick then looked over to Elenya. "So..." She halfheartedly poked their campfire with her stick. "How long have you been a Slayer, anyway?"  
  
"Longer now than the time I wasn't," Elenya replied as she searched through one of her saddlebags. She paused, taking a moment to calculate the time. "It will be ... fifteen years this fall."  
  
Buffy stared across the fire at Elenya. "Wait - say that again?"  
  
"Fifteen years," Elenya repeated, raising her voice just slightly so she could be heard over the crackling of the fire. "Almost."  
  
"Whoa." Buffy leaned back. "You can't be serious."  
  
"Why not?" Elenya countered. She finally found what she'd been searching for - her sharpening stone. She drew her sword from its sheath and laid it gently across her lap. "How long have you been a Slayer?"  
  
"Three years. And that's a record. Or it was," Buffy answered. She gave the fire another poke then watched Elenya as she proceeded to expertly slide the stone over the blade of the sword.  
  
Elenya smiled. "There was a time when I had only been the Slayer for four years. You may yet outlast me." She licked her thumb then ran it over the side of the blade and continued on with her work.  
  
"Yeah, right. Not unless I get all Matrix-y like you did with that Orc."  
  
"That will come in time," Elenya insisted, although she wasn't so sure. Her gifts, speed and strength and awareness, had all been fully developed from the moment she'd been called. But perhaps it was different for this other Slayer. "Have faith in the Powers, Buffy. They do nothing without a reason, though we may not yet now it."  
  
"Uh-huh." Buffy was far from convinced. Elenya could have faith in the Powers and all that jazz if she wanted, but that didn't do Buffy any good. "We'll see. Maybe those Powers of yours will let me in on the big picture when I wake up."  
  
"Maybe," Elenya said, but Buffy didn't hear her. Instead, the younger Slayer headed to the edge of the camp and laid down, soon falling asleep under the light of the stars.   
  
Xander opened his eyes, staring across the small space that separated him from Buffy who lay next to Willow on the ground. He'd heard the whole conversation between Buffy and Elenya; he could empathize with Buffy, too. Suddenly, she wasn't the biggest and baddest around - she was pretty run of the mill compared to Elenya. That was every day life for Xander - Giles had the smarts, Willow had the magick and the smarts, Buffy had the Slayer gig and he had ... nothing.  
  
He sighed softly then shifted on his bedroll in an attempt to get comfortable again. Slowly, his eyes closed and he fell asleep. He half-hoped that when he woke up in the morning, that they would be back in Sunnydale.  
  
Elenya stayed up through the night, keeping a watchful eye out. In her heart, she knew their troubles - already she was beginning to think of them as a fellowship - were far from over.   
  
End Chapter 2  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	3. Finder's Keepers

Chapter 3 - "Finder's Keepers"  
  
"Behold Bree," Elenya announced as the group reached the top of a high, grassy hill. There was another, even taller hill to their west. On the near side of that hill lay the village of Bree, guarded by a low wooden wall. The larger part of the village was made up of ordinary wooden and stone homes lining streets that lazily wandered here and there in no clear pattern. Farther up the hill, the houses began to fade, replaced by Hobbit dwellings like those of the Shire.   
  
"Hobbits live here, too?" Xander wondered, slightly nervous at the prospect of another shin-kicking session.  
  
"A few families, yes," Elenya confirmed. "The Bree Hobbits claim their ancestors were the first to settle the lands west of the Misty Mountains, long before the Shire was founded. The Men of Bree say much the same thing, that they have lived in these parts since before Númenor fell," she added. "It may be, but only under the guardianship of others," Elenya said, although she would not say who those others were.  
  
"How far is it from Bree to Rivendell?" Giles asked as they headed down the eastern slope of the little hill towards the gates of Bree.   
  
"Not more than a week, if we can find horses in the village. And it may be best not to speak that name aloud too often. The Bree-landers are good folk, mostly, but there are settlers from the East and the South, who may not be so found of Elves and those who would seek them out."  
  
"Why not?" Willow asked. "What's wrong with Elves?"  
  
"They ruined my Christmas," Xander muttered. That earned him a sharp glance from Willow.  
  
Elenya laughed. "Few things, if any. The fault lies with the outsiders and..." She hesitated, lowering her voice as she went on. "And with the ruler they may still serve."  
  
"Who?" Willow inquired.  
  
"I will not speak his name. The Lord of Mordor will suffice." She eyed them for any reaction, but only Giles seemed to have even the faintest glimmer of recognition in his eyes. Even so, they all sensed the greater darkness that the word Mordor only hinted at.   
  
"Well, that's not our problem," Buffy said, as much to reassure herself as the others. At least that was one plus of being stuck in this world - Elenya's problems weren't hers. And this Lord of Mordor, whoever this guy was, could jack around with the Slayer of this time period and leave her the hell alone.  
  
"Yeah," Xander said, glad he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt so no one could see his goose bumps.  
  
There was little talk after that, until they reached the gates of Bree. There was only a single guard, and he was not even armed, a sign of the peace that Bree had enjoyed for years beyond count.  
  
Buffy nudged Willow, gestured towards the unarmed guard and raised an eyebrow. "That's strange, don't you think?" she said in a hushed voice to her friend. She looked over her shoulder then back to Willow. "A land as dangerous as this one and the guy watching the gate isn't armed. He doesn't even have a slingshot. What's he going to use on all these Orcs and vampires? Harsh language?"  
  
"This whole place is strange, Buffy, who knows?" Willow answered with a shrug. Still, the fact the guard was unarmed did arouse a certain amount of worry in the young wannabe witch. She kept close to Buffy as they continued along the streets of this new town. Much different from the Shire; buildings were cramped together and people clogged the avenues. Willow preferred the land of the Hobbits to this place.  
  
"We'll make for the Inn of the Prancing Pony," Elenya told the others once they had passed through the gates. "The inn keep is a fair enough man and keeps clean rooms. And there may be horses for sale at the stables there, as well."  
  
"Uh... now might be a good time to remind you that the equestrian stuff really ain't our thing," Xander said. He looked over to Willow then Buffy. Neither of the girls appeared too eager to ride a horse.   
  
"What?" Elenya drew her horse to a stop and stared down at the four of them in absolute amazement.   
  
"We can't ride horses. Sorry."  
  
"It's not that we can't," Willow quickly picked up where Xander left off. She flicked a quick glance over to Buffy then back up to Elenya. "We just, uh, prefer not to whenever possible."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Buffy with a nod. She met Elenya's gaze. "Horseback riding, not a real big skill where we're from. Unless you're a debutant or a cowboy."   
  
"You traveled all the way from your home on foot? But why?"  
  
"We didn't really travel from our home on foot - " Xander began, but Giles cleared his throat.  
  
"As Buffy pointed out, it's not a common skill among our people," he told Elenya. "And there aren't many horses where we come from."  
  
Elenya shook her head. These four revealed new mysteries with almost every word they spoke. Her curiosity was reaching the breaking point and only the very public surroundings prevented her from pressing them to be more forthcoming. As it was, she sensed they had already attracted too much attention with their odd accents and outlandish, not to mention borderline decadent, clothing.  
  
She'd done her best to conceal that - lending Buffy and Willow two of her spare cloaks, but that did little to mask the men's clothing and nothing for any of their accents. Hopefully, they would heed her advice to speak little and pray they blended in as merely another group of travelers from far-off lands.  
  
Luckily, there were more than enough empty rooms at the Prancing Pony. Elenya paid for three - one for her, one for Buffy and Willow, and one for the men - from her dwindling supply of coins. That too would pose a problem if they didn't soon depart Bree for Rivendell, for whatever reason.  
  
-  
  
"Well, this isn't exactly The Bronze," Buffy murmured as she, Willow, Giles and Xander followed Elenya into the Inn of the Prancing Pony. It was more like something out of the old Western movies with John Wayne - a bunch of less than friendly looking people drinking and hanging out. She kept close to the others, but a wary eye remained on the patrons.  
  
Willow held tightly to Xander's arm and she moved closer to him. "I don't like this place," she said in a low voice. Her gaze met that of a slovenly fellow who smiled at her, revealing his near toothless grin then he went back to chugging down a pint of ale. She shuddered. "It wasn't so bad outside."  
  
Xander spotted a couple of younger men ordered drinks from the man behind the counter. He wondered how much he could drink for the money that Elenya had spotted him. He patted Willow's hand. "I'm going to get something to drink, I'm dyin'." Without waiting for her response, he slipped from her grasp and headed over to the counter.  
  
"Xander!" Willow rolled her eyes then looked over to Buffy. "He doesn't have a problem, obviously." She stopped when Giles and Elenya did. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," Giles answered. He saw the expression on Willow's face. "Are you all right?" An eyebrow rose up a little at her. "You look rather peaked, Willow."  
  
"It's just ... stuffy in here," Willow answered. She waved a hand, fanning her face. "You think it would be okay if I went outside for a while? Kind of looked around the town?" Even though the place wasn't near as nice as the peaceful Shire, Willow couldn't help but be curious about the lifestyle of the people living in the town. How many chances did she have to get an up close and personal look at actual history?  
  
Giles frowned. "Willow, I shouldn't think that to be a wise idea," he began.  
  
"I'll go with her, Giles," Buffy volunteered. She shrugged when the Watcher looked at her. "We'll just have a look around. We won't go far. I promise." She held up a hand with three fingers raised in the Girl Scout sign of honor. "We'll stay out of trouble."  
  
The Watcher sighed then shifted his gaze over to Elenya to see what she thought of the idea. "Will they be all right in the town?" he asked. He hoped she would say no to keep the girls near.   
  
Elenya looked from him to the two girls. She saw the determined glimmer in Buffy's eyes. Her fellow Slayer wouldn't take no for an answer. A soft sigh followed. "We are within the walls of Bree and well protected from the wilds that surround us." She turned her attention from Giles back to Buffy and Willow. "If you keep to yourselves and do not cause any trouble, you should be fine."  
  
"Great!" Buffy took Willow by the arm. "We'll be back soon, okay?" She practically dragged her friend toward the exit of the inn. On the way, they bumped into Xander who had a mug of foam in his hands. Buffy eyed the drink then looked up at him. "What's that?"  
  
"Ale," he replied, a smile lit up his face. He rose up the cup as if to toast them. "They don't even card you in this place! This is great. I think I'm beginning to like this time period, you guys." He lowered the cup, his smile disappearing as he noted the looks on their faces. "What's the matter?"  
  
"We're going to take a look around the town," Willow told him.   
  
"Oh." His shoulders slumped. He'd hoped that they would hang out together, at the very least pretend that they were all right. "Well, does Giles know about that?"  
  
"Yeah, he does. Anyway ..." Buffy tapped Willow's shoulder. "We'd better go if we want to see anything before it gets too dark outside. I doubt this time period has flashlights or stuff like that."  
  
"Sure you won't reconsider? I mean ... ale." He raised the cup, a hopeful expression on his face. Then he frowned. "Okay. Be careful out there, though, all right?" He started to turn but remembered something. "Oh, hey, just a second..." He reached into his back pocket where the completed flower circlet dangled. "Might not be smart for me to get caught with this thing, you know?"  
  
Willow saw that Xander had automatically extended his arm towards Buffy. Her eyes followed Xander's arm down to the hand then up to Buffy's rather surprised face. She watched Buffy accept the offering from Xander then she studied the Slayer closely. Buffy'd been pretty closed off recently, and Angel's abrupt exit hadn't helped matters any.   
  
"Thanks," Buffy softly replied, staring at the flowers in her hand. Xander had made this? She hadn't any idea he could do anything like that, he certainly never made a mention of the ability. Her head lifted and she weakly smiled. "Um.. have fun, Xander. Let's go, Will."  
  
Xander watched the two girls leave. He held his mug in both hands; still staring even after the door had fallen shut behind them. After a moment, he let out a breath then headed into the main room to mix with the locals. As he passed by a table, he paid no mind to the man covered in a black hooded cloak that stood up then headed towards the door.  
  
-  
  
"Barliman! Two ales!" Elenya called out, just loud enough to be heard over the general din of the late afternoon crowd. "Your finest," she added with a quick grin.  
  
Giles glanced sideways at her. For a moment, she reminded him of Faith. He shook his head. Not at all a fair comparison.   
  
"Two ales," Barliman said, placing them down on the bar in front of Giles and Elenya.  
  
"Thank you." Elenya passed Barliman a silver coin and then grabbed one of the mugs. "Health and strength," she murmured before taking her first drink.  
  
"Health and strength," Giles repeated, trying not to stand out too much. "To be honest, I had hoped we might talk somewhere more private with the others gone."  
  
Elenya stared at Giles for a moment in absolute silence, her lip twitching just a bit. "Is... is that the custom where you come from?" she asked, barely containing her laughter.  
  
"Oh! Oh, no, I didn't mean - " Giles buried his head in his hands for a few seconds. "I'd like to know more about the history of - of this land," he explained. "We know very little of it in California."  
  
"California. An odd name." Elenya took another long swallow of ale, then nodded. She looked around the room, then pointed at one of the tables in the very back, away from most of the crowd. "As you wish, though a table will do, I think."  
  
"Right. Good idea." Giles picked up his mug and followed Elenya across the floor to the table in the back. Once they were both seated, he sipped at the ale - it was surprisingly good - and wondered what to ask first. He had so many questions. "Well then. The books in my land are fairly clear on the very beginning. The demon rule over the Earth and the slow rise of mankind as they retreated to other, er, worlds - "  
  
Elenya drummed her fingers on the table. "Wait a moment. Demon rule over the Earth, and then retreating?" she asked, an extremely befuddled look on her face. "When was this time?"  
  
"What? In the beginning, before mankind evolved, and for many eons afterwards."  
  
"I don't know that word 'evolved'. But I do know the truth. This world was entrusted to the Powers of the West before time even began, and it was their unblemished garden when it was young. The Dark Lord and his horrors crept in later and then he was bound up for a time before Man ever awoke. How could it be otherwise? Nothing but misery and perversion ever springs forth from the realms of Evil. Certainly Man was not born into an age of utter darkness as you say."  
  
Giles stared at the Slayer and shook his head. "No, that's not true. The world began as a hell and a haven for the dark powers."  
  
"Lies," Elenya replied easily. "I do not know who told you those tales, but they are not true - this world, all worlds, all of Eä, came into being as a paradise under the guardianship of the Powers. The darkness came ages afterwards, and was not there from the very beginning."  
  
"That's not - "  
  
"It is! I have spoken to one who is only five generations removed from the very first Elves to come to life in Cuiviénen itself!" she said in a low voice, just beginning to get impatient. "He himself is only a few centuries younger than the race of Man, and remembers well those ancient wars."  
  
"That's insane. He'd be ..." Giles shook his head. What she was telling him couldn't be true. The Council knew more about the true history of the world than anybody. There was no way they - not to mention every reputable scientist in the past century and a half - could have gotten it all so wrong.   
  
"You may meet him yourself. Then we shall see who is insane," Elenya grumbled as she finished off her ale. [What madman could create such a tale?] she wondered as she drank.  
  
Giles could only shake his head one more time and attend to his own drink.  
  
-  
  
Xander sat down at one of the tables, sipped his foamy ale then gave the room a quick scan, trying to figure out whom he could talk to. He was on his own since Giles was in some all-important conversation with Elenya. The other Slayer worried Xander, for several reasons. The things she said made Giles jumpy at times. Also, from what Buffy said, she'd been Slayer for a long, long time. He wondered how she'd managed to pull that off. Giles never said anything about Slayers living that long.  
  
He jumped a bit when a mug clanked down on his table then he looked up to the tall, very hefty bearded fellow who now stood in front of him. He swallowed hard and tried to smile.   
  
"Uh, hi," he greeted. The man stared at him yet said nothing. That made Xander even more nervous than before. "Is, um, is there something I can do for you?"  
  
"This is my table, you witless worm," he grumbled. He used his other hand to stroke his beard. Underneath his beard, some light leather armor was visible to Xander. It was pretty worn and scarred by from what Xander assumed to be swords and various weaponry. "If you place any value on your life, you will remove yourself."  
  
Xander swallowed again then glanced around at the other patrons. Everyone else in the immediate area was quiet, and his or her attention was focused on the confrontation, which took place. He tried to keep himself calm, thinking of ways to get out of the situation with all of his limbs firmly attached to his body. "Uh, hey, you know, if I moved, you wouldn't be able to hear any of the ... the neat stories I have."  
  
The man leaned over, the smell of him overpowering Xander almost to the point of faint. "What stories would you have, stranger?" he asked. His brow furrowed as he studied the younger man. "What lands do you hail from?"  
  
"Uh.." Xander shifted in place, trying to think of an answer. He chuckled nervously, but this guy wasn't finding anything funny. Quickly, he cleared his throat. "I'm from way, way west of here. You wouldn't know the place, I'm sure. Over the river and through the woods, that kind of thing." He saw the look in the man's eyes. "Would you like to hear a song? I could sing you song about my land!"  
  
The heavy man stood straight, never taking his eyes off of Xander. "Sing us a song about this mysterious land of yours, then."  
  
Xander coughed a few times. [Great. Now what do I do? What in the hell am I going to sing for them?] He picked up his mug, took a long swig of the ale then let out a breath as he placed the mug back on the table.   
  
"Ah, yes, I have the perfect song." He glanced at the others who listened to the discussion. [Here goes nothing.] "Sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip ... which started from this tropic shore, aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a mighty sailor man, the skipper brave and sure -"   
  
The man grabbing him by the neck cut off Xander's singing, and then he lifted Xander up from the seat. He narrowed his eyes at the gagging boy. "Ships? Sailors? The seas? What land is this you speak of, worm? I know of no lands beyond the seas. None that still exist, at any rate." The crowd murmured agreement and began to mutter darkly among themselves. "Who are you?" He shoved Xander back down onto the seat.  
  
Coughing loudly, Xander placed a hand to his neck. [Okay, so maybe the theme to Gilligan's Island wasn't such a good idea.] He lifted his head, seeing that the man expected an answer. The other patrons eyed him with suspicion now, too. What had he said that bugged them? [You'd better try another approach, Xander. Or else you'll be a new wall hanging in this dump.]  
  
"Okay, okay ... so I lied. I'm not from a land beyond the seas. I'm, um ... " He massaged his throat, thinking of another place to claim to be from. Suddenly, he had another idea. Hopefully, this one wouldn't get him half-strangled. "I'm from a land called Greece!" He saw the crowd exchange looks. "It's place very far east of here. It's a lot like your own lands, really."  
  
The man dressed in the leather armor eyed Xander again. "Greece? I've never heard of this Greece. You say it is east of our own lands?" The Bree-folk knew little of the world beyond the Misty Mountains and the few tales they had heard were unsettling. For his part, the man in leather had heard of the Lonely Mountain, and of Rhun, but that was all ... unless.  
  
"Oh, yeah." [All right, it's not making them kick my ass, so east must be okay.] He dropped his hand away from his neck. "We're a rather home-y kind of people. Stick to our own country. We used to have a lot of problems, but not anymore."  
  
"Really?" the bearded man took a seat across from Xander, curious now of this Greece that Xander spoke about. "What sort of problems?"  
  
"Problems. Uh, yeah, problems." He took another drink of the ale, using the moment to come up with a sufficient story. As he placed the mug back down, he looked to his audience. Then he began to recite something he never thought he'd find a practical use for. "In a time of ancient gods, warlords, and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle!"  
  
With the reaction that got from the crowd, he figured he was on the right track now. After another long drink of his ale, he proceeded to recount all the episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess he'd seen as "tales" of his own land of Greece. It was better than having his head ripped off by Grizzly Adams, at least.  
  
-  
  
"Oh, Buffy -" Willow stopped in the street, pointing up to one of the shops. She smiled then looked over to her friend. "A shop that sells herbs! Maybe we should go inside? Look around?" Her tone was hopeful but she frowned when Buffy shook her head. "All right. It's not like we have money to buy anything anyway."  
  
Buffy and Willow moved along the streets, trying not to get barreled over by the humans in the town or trip over the little Hobbits. Even after all the time they'd been stuck in this land, the past, Buffy couldn't get a grip on the reality. She'd never felt so detached in her entire life, not even when she was the only girl in the entire world with the skill and power to defeat the forces of darkness. Everything here was real - this wasn't the past that Giles and the Watchers Council had put in their books.  
  
Willow stopped to look through a cart of things a middle-aged woman had for sale. She picked up a piece of fabric, looked down at her own clothes and made a face. "We could use some new clothes," she said then flicked her gaze over to Buffy. "We've been wearing the same stuff for way too long. And I'm feeling icky icky since I haven't had a bath in the same amount of time, either." She noticed the expression on Buffy's face. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, it's ... it's nothing, Willow," Buffy replied, and then she shook her head. She tried to smile but it wasn't working.   
  
"You've been saying that for days, Buffy." She placed the fabric back down on the cart, turning her full attention to the Slayer. "What's bugging you? And you'd better tell me. Are you still blaming yourself for us being here? If you are, you need to stop. It's not your fault. It never was. We're all responsible for our own decisions. We chose to follow."  
  
"But if I'd been a better Slayer before -" She sighed in frustration, and then looked away. "We wouldn't be here if I was as good as she is, Willow. You know that." A moment passed then she looked back at the redhead. "You've seen her. You heard all her stories about the monsters she's fought and killed. How do I compare with that?"  
  
"You're not from here!" Willow placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "You're Buffy Summers of Sunnydale, California, and you're from 1999. This isn't your problem. Nothing going on in this time period is your problem. Elenya is Slayer now. She's prepared for what lurks around here." She gave Buffy's shoulder a squeeze, her expression becoming sympathetic. "Buffy Summers is a pretty kick butt Slayer where I come from."  
  
Buffy's gaze lowered back to the semi-muddy ground beneath their feet. She wanted to believe Willow, she really did. But what chance would she have as time went by if she never improved in skill as a Slayer? Three years was a pretty long while for a Slayer to survive in their time. Elenya passed that mark by five times. If Giles was right, and this place was representative of their past, what would happen if one of these beasts reared its ugly head in modern times?  
  
Oh, wait. She already knew. She flinched recalling the two-week battle with the Orc.   
  
"I appreciate the pep talk, Will," Buffy softly said as she raised her head, her gaze meeting Willow's. [Even if it didn't really do any pepping.]  
  
"Let's walk. Maybe we'll find something interesting in this town."  
  
For another thirty minutes, the two girls strolled up and down the streets, stepping into shops here and there, trying not to talk too much to anyone but each other and keep out of trouble. They were unaware of the black-cloaked figure that'd been following them since they'd left the Prancing Pony. They made a left on the street, almost losing one another in a barrage of people, but they managed to get through.  
  
"Buffy, look here," Willow said, directing Buffy's attention to man who strummed the strings of an instrument that sort of resembled a guitar. She and Buffy stopped to watch the man compose his lyrics, speaking of lands and people of which neither girl had heard. "You know who might like this? Oz." Her smile faded just a moment as she thought of him. He was probably out of his mind with worry back in his own time.  
  
Buffy shrugged a little. "I guess so. Music is music, no matter what age you're from," she replied. Her gaze shifted to Willow and she saw the solemn expression on her face. "You miss him, don't you?" It wasn't a question; it was a statement.  
  
She nodded, biting her lower lip for a moment. "Yes, I do," she softly answered. "I've ... I've been keeping a positive outlook on this whole situation to deal with it." She flicked her gaze to Buffy. "We have to get home. With all the magick that Elenya and Frodo told us about, somebody somewhere has to be able to help us. Right?"  
  
Buffy nodded a little. She wasn't so certain herself, but if it kept Willow from being as frustrated as she then that was fine.   
  
"Besides," she went on, her voice perking a bit. "Worrying about it won't help us. We're sort of at the mercy of fate and destiny and luck. We were fortunate to land where we did then we found Elenya. She'll take us to these Elves and, hopefully, everything will be okay. I'll see Oz again," she murmured as she shifted her gaze back to the singing man. "I know I will."  
  
In that moment, Buffy wished she were more like Willow. Willow had always wanted to be somebody else, and she had no idea what a great person she was. Her little speech was damn near inspirational. Optimism like that was completely lost on the modern Slayer - she seemed to gravitate toward the negative, forgetting that a positive side even existed. Everything had to be a Greek tragedy with her - even Angel.   
  
Willow sighed heavily, trying to push away the sad thoughts of Oz. She started to take a step but stopped when something in the alleyway behind the guitar man caught her eye. Her gaze narrowed a bit, and for a minute, she thought her imagination had played a trick on her. Before she could turn away, the distinct glimmer of light reflecting off of a shiny surface attracted her attention again.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy asked as Willow crept down the half-dark alley. She glanced around then followed after her. Rubbing her arms with her hands, she came up just behind her friend. "What are you doing?" she whispered, leaning over a little as Willow crouched down, pushing away a few old rags at the same time. "What is it?" she asked when Willow picked up something from the ground, something shiny and a silverish/gold.  
  
Willow held it in her hands, staring wide-eyed at the piece of jewelry. "It's ... it's a ring," she murmured. She turned the simple band of sparkling gold shimmering with bits of silver over in her hands. "Who would just leave a ring like this lying around?" She tried to slip it into her right ring finger, but it was so loose it slid off again.   
  
Buffy tried to get a better look at what Willow had found. "Who knows? I'm sure if it's worth anything the owner will come looking for it." She paused, glanced over her shoulder, becoming aware that the sun was setting. The city would be dark soon, and they'd have a tough time finding the Inn again at night. "Let's get going, Will. We've fooled around enough out here. I'm starved and I'm tired."  
  
"Yeah, I'm coming. Wait a second, okay?" Willow grabbed a piece of the old rags, ripped away a small strip then used it to "size" the ring to fit her ring finger. She smiled as she raised her hand, watching the fading sunlight glint off her new treasure. Her smile dimmed slightly when she realized that she felt different since she put it on her hand - a strange warmth tingled throughout her body. She felt ... a little more powerful.   
  
"Will?" Buffy said loudly from the mouth of the alley. She stood there, her arms folded across her chest, watching Willow admire her new ring. When Willow finally stood and joined her, she shook her head. "You better hope whoever that ring belongs to doesn't come back lookin' for it. Who knows what they do to thieves in this land."  
  
"I didn't steal it, I found it!" Willow defensively said. She held out her hand, looking down at her ring then she smiled again. "It's pretty, isn't it? A little big but that's okay."  
  
Buffy stared at Willow's profile for a moment. "Yeah, well, if they catch you, I don't know you."   
  
The two girls hurried in the direction of the Prancing Pony.  
-  
  
Hamil growled a little as he shoved his way through a pack of Hobbits. The two girls were slowly drawing away from him.  
  
"Curses on curses!" he snapped. The crowd seemed to be somehow working against him. It was one thing to shove aside Hobbits, but too many of the Bree-men were apt to shove back. And it had been made painfully clear to Hamil that he was not to be discovered. Not for any reason.  
  
But it had also been made painfully clear that he was not to lose the strangers once found. Not for any reason. And there they went - out of sight as they turned a corner too far ahead for Hamil to catch up without running and being seen.  
  
He stood still and fretted. Now what to do? After a moment or two, he grinned and turned back in the other direction. Nobody need know that he'd actually LOST them if he didn't mention that. All he had to do was reveal that they'd been found. Those were his orders and orders had to be obeyed.   
  
Not long after that, Hamil rode away from the Prancing Pony and clear out of Bree. Once a safe distance from the walls, he spurred his horse on until it was racing at breakneck speed, heading north towards the wild country.  
  
For two hours, he rode like that, not caring how close his steed was coming to exhaustion, until he reached a pair of rocky hills hard up against each other with only a small crack between them. The crack was just wide enough for a single man, or horse, to squeeze through for several feet, and then it widened abruptly, revealing a hidden dell between the two hills.  
  
Inside the dell, there was a sizable camp guarded by several men with nasty swords and dark cloaks, and a handful of archers squatting on ledges jutting out of the more or less sheer hillsides.  
  
Before he could be skewered and stabbed, Hamil yelped the word of passage, the one that made it clear he hadn't been followed or tricked. The guards stood down and let him pass to the large tent in the center of the dell.  
  
Swallowing hard, Hamil entered the tent.  
  
"M - milord?" he called out once inside. As always, it took his eyes several seconds to adjust to the darkness inside the tent. And as always, he rather regretted that they did at all. There were things in there that he did not care to see. "It is Hamil. I have news of the ones you - Urk!" Hamil suddenly exclaimed as an iron grip tightened around his throat.  
  
"Then speak it, maggot, and be done," a voice hissed in his ear.  
  
Hamil nodded frantically. "The four strangers, the ones you seek, I spotted them in Bree this very morn! At the Prancing Pony Inn."  
  
"Four? The four?"  
  
"Yes, lord!" Hamil desperately searched his memory for the right thing to say. There! He had it. "Four strangers from distant lands, of custom and language unknown, riding into the setting sun for counsel and comfort." He did not understand much of that verse, but Hamil had never been good with any poetry beyond the most vulgar limericks.  
  
"Describe them," the voice hissed.  
  
"Two men and two women. Young and pretty." The grip tightened around his throat and Hamil quickly told his lord exactly what they looked like. "And - "  
  
"Enough. Your use is over."   
  
"I - " Hamil began, then nodded when he felt the pressure increase one more time. "Yes, lord!" he whimpered, and whimpered again when an iron boot kicked him out of the tent.  
  
Inside, the wearer of that boot sank down into his travel-seat and sighed wearily. The half-wit's report left an odd heaviness on his heart. For a moment, Rauko, for that was his name, felt a touch of fear and uncertainty then he laughed it off. He hadn't risen high in the service of the Lord of Mordor by listening to fleeting doubts and scruples, and the rewards if he accomplished his mission.  
  
Rauko grinned hungrily. Power and wealth, and the promise of more when the long war was finally over and the weak people of the West were crushed forever.  
  
Still grinning, Rauko rose up and grabbed his sword, then strode forth from the tent. His men snapped to attention the instant they saw him.  
  
"Break camp. We ride now," he instructed and, without checking to see how fast they obeyed his commands, mounted his own horse, a black steed stolen from the herds of faraway Rohan. Soon, the camp had been disassembled down to the last scrap of ash, and the company rode out, one by one. They had a prophecy to destroy.  
  
-  
  
Buffy gasped loudly as she sat bolt upright in bed. She breathed in and out, attempting to keep herself calm, but the dream she'd had was so intense, so real. Her hands went to her throat; she felt her neck then let her hands trail down to body. She was still in one piece. Tossing back the covers, she stepped out of her bed, made her way to the window and threw it open. The instant rush of cool air helped to calm her nerves. Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath.  
  
[It was just a dream. Just a dream.] Her hand still trembled, however, as she raised it up to brush her hair out of her face. She clasped her hands together then looked over her shoulder. Willow was sound asleep in her own bed, and the hand that bore Willow's new ring lay on top of the blanket. The ring shimmered in the pale moonlight that streamed into their room.  
  
Letting out a soft sigh, Buffy settled on the sill of the window then lifted her gaze to the stars. Her head rested against the wall. The terror she'd experienced in her dream began to drift away. What a horrible nightmare. A black figure, no discernible features of any kind, had tried to kill her. All she could feel was the grip of hands around her throat, slowly squeezing the life out of her.   
  
"I want to go home," she murmured to the night sky. It was a last ditch effort on her part, a plea to these Powers that so enjoyed messing with people's lives, and she hoped that they would hear her. She half turned when she heard the sound of soft footfalls that stopped at her and Willow's door. Her muscles tensed, eyes searching the room for a weapon if she needed it, but she relaxed when Elenya stepped inside.  
  
"You are awake," she greeted. She quietly closed the door behind her, glancing at Willow as she crossed the room to join Buffy at the window. Immediately, she noted the distress in Buffy's eyes. As she sat down, she never took her eyes off of Buffy. "You, too, had the dream."  
  
Buffy blinked. "If you mean the one about the Shadow trying to strangle me, then yeah, been there, nightmared that." Her gaze shifted and she stared out of the window once more. "One of the perks of this job - intense, creepy dreams. They're supposed to help you, or so Giles claims but it's really a whole lot of uselessness packed up in your brain."  
  
Elenya nodded then followed Buffy's gaze to the sky above. "Your friend, Giles, has strange ideas about many things," she said. She waited a moment then looked at Buffy once again. "He spoke of an organization - some sort of Council? Who are these Watchers?"  
  
Buffy's eyes flicked over to Elenya. "Huh? You haven't heard of the Watcher Council?" she asked, surprised. She realized she'd spoken a little too loudly when Willow murmured in her sleep and rolled over in bed. Her voice dropped as she leaned closer to Elenya. "You don't know who the Watchers are?" Elenya shook her head and Buffy sat back. "Then ... then how do you ... if you don't have any Watchers, how did you figure out the whole Slayer job?"  
  
"Figure out?" she repeated, a little unsure of what Buffy meant. Her brow rose. "No Watcher told me anything of my duty as the Slayer."  
  
"Somebody must have. You don't just wake up one day, able to bend metal bars, and think, 'Golly gee, I must be a Slayer!'. It doesn't work like that. Watchers show up before you're activated, train you, and prepare you for the job ahead." She could tell that none of this struck any chord of recognition with Elenya. "Well, that's how it's supposed to work, but in my case, that's now how things went down. Generally, Watchers are a bother. Giles is okay. I don't know where I'd be without him. Dead, probably."  
  
"This must be something of mortal making, then," Elenya stated. She turned her attention back to the window, drew in a deep breath of the clean night air then leaned back.  
  
"Then how did you find out who you are and what you're supposed to do?"  
  
"She came to me in my dreams," Elenya began, her voice a little distant now as she spoke. Her hands came together in her lap. "The one before me - the Slayer. She was of my race but from the lands East of here, lands that are cursed with Evil. Despite such an upbringing, she accepted the task, fought long and hard against the darkness. It took her life, as it will one day take mine." Her gaze shifted to Buffy. "As it will take yours, eventually."  
  
Buffy swallowed hard, but remained silent. She didn't want to mention that little fact that it already had. Thing was, the darkness didn't expect her to come back. The talk of dreaming of other Slayers was unsettling as well. A few weeks before, Faith had visited Buffy in her dreams to reveal the weakness of the Mayor. She'd wondered if that was real or if it was a subconscious thing. If Elenya had another Slayer come to her in her dreams, it must've been the former.  
  
"She told me the story of our kind. Of our heritage as the defenders of the weak." A soft smile graced Elenya's features. "Perhaps in another time, the Slayer was more important as a weapon, yet these days we see now ... " The rumors of rumblings in Mordor came to the forefront of her mind. "Well, we shall see how useful a Slayer will be in those to come."  
  
"Whoa, wait a second," Buffy held up a hand as she realized what exactly Elenya was saying. "The Slayer WAS more important as a weapon? You're not important now?" How could that be? The way the Watchers told it, the Slayer always was the last line of defense against the Evil and Darkness in the world. Elenya talked as though she was an average Joe. "Where I'm from, every big bad from one coast to the other is gunning for me. That's all they ever think of, actually. 'Oh, kill the Slayer! Sear the flesh from her bones and suck the marrow from them!'. Don't you hear that spiel?"  
  
Elenya shook her head slowly. "No, I cannot say that I have. The Evils of this land do not fear me." She paused, smiled a little slyly then continued. "That would be their most fatal error." She noticed the confusion still stuck on Buffy's face. "The inhabitants of these lands battle the very same creatures as I. My troubles stem mostly from who I am and where I am from. Men are not exactly held in high regard by many."  
  
Buffy tried to absorb what Elenya had said before that she didn't pay much attention to the comment about Men. Everyone in these lands fought the same creatures Elenya did? Not every demon or Big Bad who came along bayed for Slayer blood? What sort of messed up past did they come from? Then her expression changed, becoming a little more suspicious but not of Elenya and her story.   
  
[Actually, that would explain a lot. If the Watchers knew the Slayer wasn't always like she is in my time, why would they want to promote that? Elenya doesn't need them, obviously. If she doesn't, no Slayer to ever exist needed them.]  
  
Elenya stood up and Buffy's gaze followed her. "You should rest. We have much travel ahead of us until we reach Rivendell, Buffy." She placed a hand on her sister Slayer's shoulder. "I am certain the Elves will be able to help you return home. To your own time," she added.  
  
"Huh, our own time? Where did you get an idea like that?"  
  
She smiled. "Giles allowed me the truth, Buffy. It explains much. Your strange dress, your speech, and why you would also be Slayer." Her hand slipped away from the blonde's shoulder, the smile fading a bit. The dream she had shared with Buffy weighed heavy on her mind. She, too, dreamed of the dark, featureless figure, though in her dream the mysterious being didn't come after her - its only focus was Buffy and Buffy's companions. "Sleep well."  
  
"Yeah, you too." Buffy watched Elenya leave the room then she snorted softly. "Easy for her to say." Leaning against the wall, she continued to stare out of the window. And there she stayed until morning.  
  
-  
  
Morning came early but dark clouds hid the sun, and there was a slight dampness in the air. The morning dew lingered well past dawn.  
  
"Rain before noon," Nob, one of Barliman's Hobbit employees, declared as he lead Aratar and the rest of the horses around to the front of the inn from the stables. "Sure you won't stay another day?" he asked Giles. "It's bad luck to set out on a rainy morn, and that's a fact." On top of that, he and most of the other locals were curious about the strange travelers. Aside from Dwarves, Bree saw few folk from far afield. They would be missed, odd as they were.  
  
"Perhaps, but to tarry until winter approaches is willful folly," Elenya said pointedly. She took Aratar's reins and whispered a few words to him, then gracefully leapt up into the saddle.  
  
"Are we ready?" she asked the rest of the group and was answered by nods of varying enthusiasm. Another long hike through the wilderness didn't exactly appeal to any of them. But there was nothing to be done. With Elenya in the lead, the little company set out. They passed through the south gate, which set them back on the ancient Great East Road.  
  
The weather remained clear for an hour after they departed from Bree, then it began to rain. Elenya pulled her hood down low. At least the others had been willing to try their hand at riding. Rain had a way of lingering for days in this corner of the world. And the path to Rivendell was faint enough even on a clear day. Any delay would only invite trouble.  
  
End Chapter 3  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	4. Servants of the Dark Lord

Chapter 4 - "Servants of the Dark Lord"  
  
For the rest of the afternoon, they traveled through the gray drizzle, passing first through the gentle Chetwood and then across a flat, grassy country.   
  
"Well, this isn't so bad," Xander said as they passed over yet another low, green hill.  
  
"Enjoy it," Elenya said with a grin. "We'll pass near the Midgewater Marsh soon, and then it's only a handful of leagues to rockier country."  
  
"Oh. Well, damn. Are we sure these Elves are worth it?"  
  
"You'll see," Elenya told him. Then she suddenly cast her eyes back to the west and drew her sword an instant later. "Buffy, by me!" she called out.  
  
There, coming over the crest of the last hill they had crossed, was a line of horsemen. Perhaps ten or so all clad in black and wielding long, bent blades in the fashion of Mordor.  
  
Xander glanced at Giles, who was already looking over at Elenya. "I have the distinct feeling that these guys aren't a welcoming committee from the Elves." The whinny of the oncoming horses chilled Xander to his very core. He gripped tightly to his reins, mostly to keep his hands from shaking. Here they were, being bore down on by the bad guys and they had almost nothing in the way of weapons.  
  
Buffy brought her horse around, coming up between Elenya and Giles. "Who are they? And what do they want?" she asked, more of Elenya, but she had a suspicion that Giles knew who these jerks were, too. From the look on Elenya's face, she could gather that this meeting wouldn't be friendly. "Should we prepare to kick somebody's ass? Hello? You guys?"  
  
An indecipherable yell echoed across the land as the riders charged hard towards them. Buffy reached for her sword, but stopped when Giles placed a hand to her arm. She saw the look in his eyes. Only one word could describe what was contained within them - terror.   
  
"Buffy, don't," he said, voice low and even. He exchanged a look with Elenya, an unspoken question being asked. 'Can we avoid them?' The single solemn shake of her head was all Giles needed for his answer. He closed his eyes for a moment, head lowering. The thundering of hooves became louder, pounding inside of his head as he tried so desperately to think of a way to avoid this fight.   
  
The whinny of one of the approaching horses made Buffy turn. "I'm sorry, Giles, but I'm not gonna sit here and let them cut us down. Whoever they are." She slid down from the saddle, drawing her sword from the sheath strapped to the animal at the same time. "If they want to cause trouble, I'm more than happy to oblige."  
  
Willow and Xander exchanged glances. Two seconds later, the both of them were on the ground, weapons drawn and at Buffy's side. If she was going to stand up then so would they.  
  
Elenya threw one leg over the saddle and dropped to the ground herself. Her eyes narrowed as the riders came closer. "Khand," she whispered. The traditional ally of Mordor, home to a warlike and proud people. Some of these riders were dressed in the native garb of that far-off realm. Crossing to the other side of Aratar, her features hardened. "We fight."  
  
Giles dismounted as well, drawing his own sword, and come up behind Buffy, Xander and Willow. "These are not demons and vampires, Buffy," he murmured. He looked down at the top of the blonde head, concern filling him as he realized what they would soon be in battle against. "They are men. And you know what -"  
  
"I know, Giles," Buffy shortly replied. She gripped the sword in her hands. As much as she didn't want to know, she knew. Humans. She couldn't kill humans. That was the one thing a Slayer couldn't slay. Her tongue ran over her lips, her stomach began to flip flop around.   
  
"We're here, Buff," Xander softly assured her. He swallowed hard and prepared himself for his inevitable death. No way would he be able to fight off any of these guys. He could barely hold his own with demons and vamps, now these were living, breathing human beings coming at him.   
  
"Don't worry," Willow added. However, that's all she could do. Worry. She glanced down at the ring on her hand, noticing the shimmer of it despite the overcast sky. She was nearly entranced by the sparkle - her eyes became utterly affixed to it.   
  
'Willlllow,' a soft voice hissed.   
  
Blinking a few times, Willow tore her gaze away from it then looked at the riders. Her sword slipped from her grip and fell to the ground at her feet.  
  
"Leave no one alive," Elenya commanded as she drew in front of Willow, a bow in her hands and a quiver of arrows on her back. She withdrew two arrows, fastened them into place on the bow's string then took aim on the enemy. Her eyes focused on the two human riders in the lead.  
  
"Huh?" Buffy flicked her attention to Elenya. "What are you talking about, leave no one alive? They're human beings!"  
  
"Not all of them," Elenya answered. One eye closed so she could get a better aim on her targets. "And these human beings as you call them ... they're far from that now. Servants of the Lord of Mordor haven't any humanity left in them." She let loose her arrows. Each struck its target in the throat and the two riders fell from their horses, dead.  
  
High atop the hill overlooking the battle, Rauko frowned when his two warriors tumbled back and landed limply on the wet grass. The archer had superb skill, especially for a woman. He winced as a sudden fear occurred to him. What if she was an Elf? They were not all that far afield from Rivendell, that cursed pit, and she had a bit of the look of an Elf, at least from this distance.  
  
"Hold back," Rauko ordered to the rest of his men. He wanted to see the skills of the rest of these strangers. After all, what loss would it be if a dozen Khand-men, or a hundred Orcs, died?  
  
"Holy Shi-ite Muslim," Xander exclaimed. He looked from the two dead men to Elenya who drew another arrow, quickly, took aim then fired. He followed the arc of the arrow, which made contact with its human target - directly in the throat. "What ... what ..." She'd just killed three people! A Slayer! [Oh God. We've hitched a ride with another Faith. Well, Faith's great, great, great, great thousand times psycho grandmother!]  
  
Tossing her bow and arrows aside, Elenya snatched up her sword. "Their leaders are dead, the Orcs won't be much of an opponent without them," she said as the horses slowed and their riders dismounted, bringing out weapons of their own - swords, axes, and dirks. "Disarm and behead them as quickly as possible. It's the only way to be certain."  
  
"Uhh..." Xander glanced at the sword in his hand then looked up at the Orcs, now fully visible since they'd thrown off their cloaks, headed towards them. "Behead them? I'm so gonna die."  
  
"You're not going to die, Xander," Buffy said as her eyes narrowed at the approaching Orcs. She pushed him behind her then brought up her sword, preparing for the battle. "I won't let you."   
  
She blocked the first strike from the Orc; the connecting of metal was violent, so violent she had trouble keeping a hold on her weapon. She delivered a high side kick to the exposed underarm of the Orc. When it let up on her, she used her sword bearing hand to punch him square in the jaw. Taking its dazed spell to her advantage, she executed a fast sweep kick to knock the creature's feet out from underneath it.  
  
Tossing her hair out of her face, she gazed down at the fallen Orc, grinning. "Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt? The next time I kill you, I'll try not to hurt you so much." She prepared to plunge the point of the sword into the Orc's chest, but her moment of pause she took to gloat gave him a chance to draw a long knife out of his boot. Buffy jumped back to miss the swipe at her shins he made with his weapon. "Whoa, hey, no fair!"  
  
Elenya finished off the Orc she'd taken on then turned when she heard Buffy's voice. Buffy backed away from her own opponent who was without sword but was still armed with a rather nasty serrated edge knife. "Kill him!" she yelled.   
  
Elenya whirled around, stabbing her blade into the gut of an Orc who tried to rush her while she was distracted. Her eyes met his and she smiled a little as she twisted her blade in his gut. Using her foot, Elenya pushed his body off of her blade, brandished the blade once before neatly separating the Orc's head from its body.  
  
"Buffy!" Xander remembered he had his own weapon and made a move to help her. But somebody grabbed him by the back of the neck and threw him to the ground. His sword lay on the ground but when he rolled over to snag it, a foot stamped itself down on the blade. He followed the foot up to the leg then finally to the face of its owner - a chuckling, well-armed Orc. "Uh... hey. Nice, uh, nice axe you have there."  
  
Laughing, the Orc wielded his axe and began to bring it down on Xander. However, he never made contact with his victim. From behind, a sword blade sliced through the neck of the Orc, its head dropped like a rock from its shoulders and landed right in front of Xander's face.  
  
"Argh!" He rolled away then on his back, he looked up to see who'd saved him from being chopped in half. "Giles! G-man! Oh, my God, am I glad to see you!" He let out a relieved sigh and accepted the Watcher's hand of help. "Thanks. You saved my life. I mean, I thought I was a goner for sure." He hugged Giles.  
  
"Yes, Xander, that will be quite enough," Giles replied, using his free hand to pry the young man's arms from around his neck. He craned his head around to get a look at the ongoing battle, to see how Buffy was faring. "Xander, if you wouldn't mind terribly, I must be able to -" He brought up his sword in time to block the attack of another Orc. "Xander!"  
  
"Gah!" Xander backpedaled as Giles took on another Orc in a sword fight. He couldn't believe what he saw - in fact, he rubbed his fingers in his eyes then looked again. Yes, that was Giles, in a sword fight with an Orc. He knew Giles could take care of himself, but damn, not all of this Xena: Warrior Princess kind of stuff.   
  
"Xander!"  
  
"Gah!" He jumped when Willow slapped a hand on his shoulder. He put his hands to his chest, checking to see if his heart was still beating. "Geez, Will! Would you be careful with the scaring the crap out of me?" His hands dropped to his sides. "Where've you been? I was almost carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey!"  
  
"Trying to figure out a spell to use," Willow answered. She looked past Xander. Buffy, Giles and Elenya were all handling the physical fighting stuff. Buffy, however, was having a time of it. She looked so tired as she fought off the advances of an Orc and his axe. "Here ... I think I know of a good one."  
  
"Willow, remember what happened the last ti -" Before he could finish, though, Willow already began to chant the words to one of her spells. He watched her raise her hands, taking aim on the Orc that fought Buffy. "I guess you don't, then."  
  
"Goddess Hecate, work thy will! Let thine fire clear the path!" Willow shouted. As soon as the spell was finished, a stream of fire leapt from her outstretched hands and hit the Orc with such a force it was blown several feet away from the blonde Slayer. She blinked as she watched the creature writhe about, howling and screaming as it burned to death. "O-oh, oh my..." she whispered. "Where... where did that come from?"  
  
Xander stood there, staring at Willow, amazed. Not only because she'd managed to do a spell that didn't almost kill somebody, but also she'd been so accurate with her aim. "Wow, that was ... what was that?"  
  
"I - I don't know, Xander." She brought up her hands in front of her then she noticed the shimmering ring on her hand. It glowed seemingly from within now. [It - it was the ring. It had to be. Why else would a spell that I always screwed up before work so well now?]   
  
On the hilltop, Rauko clenched the hilt of his sword with white knuckles. His mind raced, as did his heart. Nothing in all Middle-Earth, nothing in all the Arda, had such mastery of fire. Nothing except his own Dark Lord and the slumbering Balrogs... and, he had heard, the bright, burning servants of Arien, the Maiden of the Sun.  
  
Could this slip of a girl be one of Sauron's unfallen kindred? Rauko paled. It could not be. They had been cowering in the West behind their great mountain walls for two whole ages. But what, then, was this girl to wield such power? And were they all of a kind with her? Could they match even -  
  
Before his thoughts could enter dangerous terrain, Rauko shook himself and turned his gaze back onto the battle still raging below.  
  
Quickly, Willow clasped her hands together to hide the ring when Buffy ran up to her. "Buffy! You're okay!"  
  
"Thanks to you!" Buffy hugged her briefly. She shook her head as she looked her over. "Willow, I didn't know you had it in you."   
  
"Buffy!" Giles called out.  
  
Buffy joined Giles in his battle against another Orc. She let loose with a spinning hook kick, smacking the Orc hard in the back of its head then she ducked down when the creature pivoted, bringing it's axe around with it. "Down here, pal," she greeted, looking up at the surprised beast. She rammed her sword into the gut of the Orc. "Ooopsie."  
  
Giles finished off the creature, swiftly removing its head from its body. He sighed as the final body dropped then dragged his forearm over his head, clearing away the sweat. "It's over," he breathed. He turned to see how Elenya had fared. She was quite all right and headed their way. "Buffy?"  
  
"I'm right here, Giles," she said as she rose up to her feet. She looked down at herself then wrinkled her nose. "I'm covered in icky gooey Orc blood, but otherwise, I'm good. I so need a shower. I might be able to use my B.O. as a weapon pretty soon here."  
  
"Are you guys okay?" Willow asked as she and Xander joined them. Buffy looked exhausted but no worse for the wear, as did Giles. Elenya was slightly winded herself, though in good shape. She scanned the area, seeing all of the decapitated Orcs and the three dead humans. Immediately, she remembered who'd killed them and she looked at Elenya. "Who are they?"  
  
"Khand-men," Elenya said then spat. "And Orcs out of Mordor," she added with a quick, contemptuous look at the dead Orcs. "We attract curious company," Elenya mused then turned in a slow circle. She had glimpsed others watching during the height of the battle, but they had fled or were hiding beyond her skill to perceive.  
  
"We should ride on," Elenya said, whistling to call Aratar over. The white horse obediently trotted over to her side, and she gracefully leapt up into the saddle. "Quickly. There may be more."  
  
"Hang on a second. You just killed a buncha people!" Buffy yelled, grabbing at Elenya's saddle.  
  
Elenya exhaled impatiently. "Sworn servants of Mordor," she corrected. "Let them face the judgment of Iluvatar. I have no grief except for those they have murdered."  
  
"You don't know - "  
  
"Open your eyes, girl!" Elenya snapped. "You may be a stranger to this time and place, but I am not. I have seen them commit wickedness you cannot imagine. Have you heard the screams of the prisoners of Minas Morgul? Have you seen what is left in the wake of the armies of Khand through the lands of their enemies?" the older Slayer asked. "Fah! When you see newborn babes stuck to their mothers with black arrows, then maybe you understand the 'mercy' of Mordor."  
  
She shook her head, pulled up her hood and with a flick of the reins rode off towards the east.  
  
Buffy clenched her fists for a minute then relaxed only after a visible effort.   
  
"That chick's got a serious 'tude," Buffy muttered as she got back up onto her own horse.   
  
"She's also the only one who knows the way to Rivendell," Giles pointed out, even though he was little less disturbed than Buffy by Elenya's cold-blooded attitude towards the dead humans. "We have little choice but to follow her and be careful," he said in a whisper.  
  
"Great." Xander turned to Willow. "Do you think it'd work if we tapped our shoes and said 'There's no place like home' three times?"  
  
Willow stared at him for a second and he nodded. "Right." Xander shrugged. "Bad idea." Before he mounted his horse, he gave Willow a second look. "Are you okay? You're looking kinda zoned-out. Magic overload?"  
  
"Maybe," Willow replied, rubbing her ring for a moment before putting both hands behind her back. "Everything is stronger here. Can't you feel it? It's so much... more than home, you know? Even the air is different."  
  
"Uh-huh... That would be the lack of smog," Xander said.   
  
"Must be," Willow murmured. She smiled at Xander and then clambered up onto her horse. Her ring glinted once, caught by a stray ray of sunlight, and Willow hastily shifted her hand so it was hidden once again. "We better hurry or we'll lose 'em," she told Xander then gave her horse a little kick.   
  
"Hey, wait up!" Xander shouted even as he nudged his own mount into a trot.  
  
-   
  
The next stage of their journey to Rivendell passed slowly and, mostly, in silence. After a few days, the tension of the battle's aftermath faded a bit, but tempers still remained high. There were few open arguments, but little talk of any sort. After a time, Elenya offered to teach sword and bow skills to Xander, and he proved to be a quick learner. Giles learned more of the history of Middle-Earth at least what Elenya was willing to share. Willow grew more irritable as time passed, though.  
  
Elenya lead the group on deeper and higher into the wild country, and some five or six days out of Bree, the flat grassland was broken up by rockier terrain.  
  
Some eight or nine days out of Bree - it was hard to keep track in the rain and cold - they saw a low range of gray hills well to the north of the road, with a larger isolated hill just off the shoulder of the ancient pathway.  
  
"The Weather Hills," Elenya said, pointing northward, "and Weathertop," with a nod towards the nearer hill, which was crowned with the crumbling remains of a stone fortress. "An ancient watchtower of my people against the power of Mordor," she explained, breaking a day-long silence, but would not elaborate on just who her 'people' were, saying that it was a tale meant to be told only in safer halls.  
  
"You always say that, ya know," Xander pointed out as they rode through the shadows of Amon Sûl. "When are we gonna get to these 'safer halls' anyway?"  
  
Elenya drew to a halt. "We must make a choice here. We can remain on the road and take the slow way, and arrive in Rivendell in perhaps three weeks time. Or, if you will risk it, we can cut across the Lone-lands ahead and cut several days or perhaps a full week from our travels. But the country is wild and home to dangerous beasts - wolves and bears, and perhaps worse; haste or, perhaps, comfort. What will it be?" she asked the four.  
  
"I'll go with... uh... whatever you all pick," Xander said without the slightest hesitation.  
  
Buffy smiled at him for a second, then shrugged. "Whatever gets us there faster. There might be more of those Orc freaks chasing after us. I'm all for kicking butt, but clean clothes and bathing sounds pretty good."  
  
"Buffy's right. I don't like the look of this country," Giles quietly said.  
  
"I'm sure we can handle anything in the hills," Willow argued. "Do we even need to visit the Elves, anyway?"  
  
Elenya frowned, but spoke lightly. "There are no other people who can help you, Willow. Unless perhaps you wish to sail across the Sea and seek Valinor."  
  
"Valiwho?"  
  
"The home of the Powers. No Man has been there in thousands of years. Only by the grace of the Powers themselves can even the Elves find the way there."  
  
Willow made a face. "Typical. Never looking out for the little people," she muttered sourly.  
  
Elenya gave Willow a brief nervous look, then turned to the east. "We must go soon, I think. There is a storm coming. We should be on our path, whatever it may be, before the rain begins to fall. "Two for the hills and one for the road. I will say nothing either way. Xander, it falls to you."  
  
"Oh, man." Xander looked down the road, then towards the hills far off to the southeast. He kind of believed Willow - they'd kicked that Orc ass pretty good. Okay, Buffy and Elenya and Giles and Willow had, but an extra week of saddle sores and berries for dinner? And whatever else was out there. "I say we head for the hills."  
  
"Then let us ride!" Elenya called out with the barest of smiles. "Rivendell awaits!"  
  
"She's sure got a thing for dramatic exits," Xander noted as the older Slayer left them all in the dust.  
  
"Yes, she does cut a dashing figure," Giles murmured, then blinked and coughed nervously. "Onward, then." He smiled and, with a "Hurrah!", rode off after Elenya.  
  
-  
  
There was no more sign of Orcs or Men as the small band picked its way over the rocky terrain east of Weathertop. The storm Elenya had predicted broke the very evening they made the choice to leave the road and lasted for the better part of three days, during which the sun was hidden behind thick gray clouds. It was a miserable time, but on the fourth day, the clouds began to part and the long-hidden sun showered light down upon them for much of the afternoon before more rain clouds drifted in from the east.  
  
The pattern continued as they went on, ever higher and closer to the Misty Mountains that were now visible on the eastern horizon. The rain sapped their spirits and they began to wonder if they would ever reach Rivendell before they wasted away from the persistent gloom.  
  
But then, finally, they reached the end of the hill country. There was a deep ravine and a raging river, crossed by a great stone bridge to their left.  
  
"The Last Bridge," Elenya said, but her gaze was to the dark wooded land across the bridge and to the south. Her distant kinfolk, but still Dunedain, dwelt in the land past those trees. But that was a secret refuge, and one she could not share with her new companions. "The last stage begins on the far side of the Hoarwell, or the Mitheithel in the language of the Elves. Come! Let us ride!" she said with a grin and a twinkle in her eyes.   
  
"She sure - "  
  
"We *know* Xander," Buffy said, but with a smile of her own. "Race 'ya!"  
  
Giles and Willow exchanged knowing glances, then followed after the two of them and Elenya, who was far in the lead.  
  
The country between the Hoarwell and the Loudwater, or Bruinen, was green and pleasant, a most welcome respite from the Lone-lands and much like the faraway Shire, but not so tame. The companions recovered some of their strength and energy, growing more anxious as they came closer to Rivendell with each passing day.  
  
And then, one sunny morning, they rode out from under the shelter of a stretch of crimson-leafed trees and the Ford of Bruinen lay before them. On the opposite shore was a line of riders in gray, all armed with bows but none with arrows drawn.  
  
"Say nothing," Elenya whispered as she slowly rode up to the Ford, but arms held out and well away from her weapons. Then the leader of the Elves on the other shore lifted back his hood and laughed, then murmured a quick phrase in a hauntingly beautiful language.  
  
"Glorfindel!" Elenya exclaimed before responding in the same language, but haltingly. She laughed and turned back to the others. "The House of Elrond awaits us."  
  
-   
  
Many long leagues north of Rivendell, another path lead east into the hills. But it was less fair by far than that which ran from the Bruinen to Rivendell itself. The way was bleak and littered with the chewed, discarded bones of small animals unlucky enough to get caught in Orcish snares. Rauko felt the gaze of hidden watchers lingering upon him, but his only reaction was an impatient scowl.   
  
At the end of the trail, there was a large and crude black gate guarding the entrance to the tunnels of the Orc-kingdom. A dozen Orcs, tall and ugly, stood watch there, but bowed low when they saw Rauko approach. There was a creaking sound and slowly the gate swung open, revealing a dark opening as grim and black as the legendary maw of Carcharoth.  
  
Deep, deep into the tunnels under the Misty Mountains did Rauko and his troop journey, ignoring the grudging obsequities offered by the 'King' of the Orcs who dwelt there. King! - there was only one King in this world, and his throne was in Barad-dûr, not some dark dung-heap crawling with feeble cave Orcs.   
  
But Rauko had little time to spare for his hate. The greater part of his thought was bent on his prey. The open might of the redhead, and the skill at arms of the others. He still feared they were emissaries from beyond the Sea. But until he knew for sure, he could not act. What, then, should he do?  
  
That, at least, was easily answered.   
  
Rauko descended into the heart of the mountain kingdom, where craftsman of his race had carved a maze of Man-sized dwellings not long ago. There, he retired into a room with a door painted with the Lidless Eye and, guarded by his kinsmen, withdrew his great treasure from a hidden chest of blackest adamant.  
  
It was a globe, apparently of the darkest glass with a heart of flame, and precious beyond a king's ransom. None save the Lord of the East knew whence it had came, but it was one of the seven palantíri, the Seeing Stones of lost Númenor. Even Sauron did not know what strange journey had brought it from the watery tomb of Arvedui to the Misty Mountains, where it had been found and treasured by the Orcs until he himself had reemerged in strength and claimed it for his own. And now it was granted to Rauko, a sign of the Black Númenórean's stature in Sauron's eyes - or so Rauko saw it, little caring that it was also a way for the Dark Lord to better enforce his will upon Rauko.  
  
Rauko carefully held it up and carried it over to the ebony column in the center of the room. Atop the column was a crimson silk pillow, upon which he rested the globe and then carefully positioned it, and him, until it was facing to the East, with himself directly westward of the globe. Then he steeled himself and placed both his hands atop it.  
  
Flesh met glass and Rauko shuddered as the seeing stone flared brightly with a malevolent red glow. Inside, a burning Eye appeared, looking this way and that before locking itself on Rauko's face.  
  
Speaking in the Black Tongue, Rauko quickly told his Master what he had learned and seen. There was a long silence, and then the answer came from out of the East.   
  
"Pass through the mountains and gather your forces, and lay in wait for these strangers. They do not have the stink of Aman upon them. Strike hard, kill the others, but bring the fire maiden to me," the Voice ordered.  
  
"It shall be done, Lord," Rauko replied, but the glow had faded and the Eye was gone. The seeing stone was dark once more. He reverently returned it to the secret chest and then emerged from the secluded chamber.  
  
Rauko's newly formed plan was simple enough. He had forces of his own. All the countless Orcs of the Mountains answered to him in truth, and hundreds of Men, a strong company of Black Numenoreans - the same as he - and Easterlings out of Khand and Harad. If need be, he would sacrifice them all in order to defeat those strange travelers and their Dúnedain companion.  
  
But not until they emerged from accursed Rivendell, Rauko grudgingly admitted to himself. It was beyond his power, beyond any power save Sauron himself, to break the defenses around that Elvish citadel. At least their stay there would give him time to gather his army and make ready for a true strike. Then the entire world would see the true worth of Elvish prophecies and fleeting hopes in the West.  
  
End Chapter 4  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	5. The House Of Elrond

Chapter 5 - "The House of Elrond"  
  
"This place is stunning," Giles murmured as he, Buffy, Xander and Willow followed behind Elenya and several of their Elven escorts through the grand hall of what was Elrond's house in Rivendell. Situated upon a dais, a long table dominated the room; its chairs empty, table clear of any crockery. Obviously, they weren't expected - from what Elenya had told them, the Elves were a most hospitable people.  
  
Buffy moved towards one of the windows that overlooked the city. It wasn't really a city; it was more like one of those little Swiss Miss towns of the Alps, almost as though the buildings were a part of the mountains. The Elven builders worked with their surroundings rather than against them - it was much more earthy. And the city itself didn't have a crowded nor rushed feel to it, but was instead peaceful and welcoming.   
  
She sensed someone come up behind her. "If I wasn't here, seeing it with my own eyes, I'd never believe this was part of our past," she murmured. She looked to her left, Xander stepped up beside her, also staring out at the view. "What happened to this, Xander?" She gestured towards the enchanting place outside and all around them. "Do ... do you think our kind destroyed it?"  
  
Xander shrugged. "I don't know, Buff," he honestly replied. He was quiet a few moments as he took in the view and listened to the sounds of the nearby waterfall as it spilled over the high mountainside. "Maybe it's still here in our time, we just don't know where to look." He shifted his gaze over to her, an unusually serious expression on his face. "The people in this time don't think much of us, do they?"  
  
"Well, we're strangers, Xander, I'm sure they -"  
  
"No, I don't mean us personally. Our kind. You've heard the way Elenya talks about herself and her 'people'." He glanced back at the Slayer who spoke with Glorfindel in the Elven tongue. "I get the feeling that humans really screwed things up around here. Or they screwed up and nobody thinks they can make anything of themselves." His head lowered as he turned back to the window. "I know how that is."  
  
"Xander," Buffy started as she took a step closer to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Look at me," she softly ordered. When he didn't she squeezed his arm, lightly, then commanded it again. "Look at me." He did so. "Xander, you're not a screw up and none of us believe that you won't make anything of yourself. You're you, and you work with what you have." Her expression softened. "You've been impressive since we arrived here, Xander."  
  
He shook his head, scoffing a little. "Me? Impressive? Giles had to save me from an Orc while the rest of you had no trouble in defending yourselves. I'm a loser, Buffy. That's all I ever have been, it's all I ever will be and that's how it is." [No wonder you never cared for me the way I wanted you too.] he added in his head as he gazed down at her.  
  
Willow joined Xander and Buffy. "This Elrond is too busy to see us right now," she remarked. She snorted as she watched Glorfindel and the other Elves leave the hall together. "So we have to sit around here and wait. Can you believe this? After all the long traveling we've done."  
  
Buffy's hand dropped from Xander's arm as she looked to her friend. "He runs this whole place, Wills. I'm sure he's got a lot of stuff to do. And he can't just drop everything for a couple of humans who managed to get themselves lost in time." Her eyes were drawn to Willow's hands. Willow used the fingers of one hand to fiddle with the ring, the one she'd found in Bree. "We're lucky he'll even talk to us at all."  
  
"Well, I want to have a few words with this Elf King guy," Xander began, his mood drastically changed from a few moments before.   
  
"Xander." Buffy shook her head, rolled her eyes a little then folded her arms across her chest. "You're not really going to bring up that Christmas thing with him, are you?"  
  
Elenya finished speaking with Glorfindel who'd returned then came over to the three teenagers. "Lord Elrond is momentarily unavailable," she informed them. She noticed Willow roll her eyes but said nothing about it. She looked to Buffy. "His daughter, the Lady Arwen, shall keep us entertained until he is able to speak with us."  
  
"That means you behave," Buffy said in a hushed voice to Xander as Elenya walked away. "Don't go insulting these people, okay? We need their help."  
  
Willow snorted, drawing the attention of both Xander and Buffy. She cocked an eyebrow at them. "What?"  
  
Xander stared at Willow for a second. She'd acted differently since the day they'd fought off the Orcs. She wasn't the same happy-go-lucky Willster that they'd traveled through the Shire with, that was for sure. "Well, I can't wait to see this Arwen chick," he said. "I'm going to give her a piece of my mind! Stinkin' Elves. Ruin my Christmas, will they? When I see her I'm going to just -"  
  
Xander blinked as a haunting vision of beauty and grace entered the great hall. The raven-haired woman was tall and fair of face, her skin was nearly as white as the flowing dress she wore. Upon her head was a circlet made of gold that was also spun into a fine net underneath which her hair was pulled. The lovely Elf, who outwardly didn't appear to be more than her mid-twenties, seemingly floated across the floor towards them.  
  
" - drop to my knees and thank God for sending us here," Xander finished. His eyes were wide. His jaw half-hung open as his gaze followed the woman. "Ay yi yi. I'm glad we took the short cut now." He grunted when somebody elbowed him in the side. "Ow." He saw Buffy, eyes narrowed, looking up at him. "What? I'm just admiring the beauty of Rivendell. Do you mind?"  
  
"Yes," Buffy shortly replied before she knew what she was saying. She gasped lightly, her mouth snapped shut. [Did I just say that? That sounded so juvenile. And why do I care if he's staring at that ...] She looked over to the beautiful Elven woman who spoke with Elenya. [ ... at that very enchanting girl Elf?]  
  
"You have been away from Rivendell too long, Elenya," Arwen said after the introductions of Giles, Xander, Buffy and Willow. She smiled softly at her. "As have I," she admitted. "Only recently did I return."   
  
"Lucky for me," Xander murmured as he gazed stupidly at Arwen. He jerked. "Ow." He placed a hand to his side and looked back down at Buffy. "You know, you might need some therapy for that muscle tic you've got, Buff."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes a little then looked over to Arwen, who stood there, watching them with mild amusement. "Look, Miss ... Lady ... Princess Arwen, whatever we're supposed to call you, do you, like, have any idea how long your dad's gonna take?" For some reason, it bothered her, how Xander gaped at the Elf.  
  
Giles stepped forward, smiling a little nervously at Elrond's daughter. "I believe what Buffy means to say is that we're quite eager to return to our own time and place. Will your father be detained for a considerable while?" he asked as pleasantly as possible. He would have to remember to speak with Buffy and the others about addressing people in this time, especially the Elves.   
  
"I apologize, Master Giles," Arwen replied, her attention shifting from Buffy to Giles. "I do not know. However, I have been instructed to make you as comfortable as possible." She smiled again. "Perhaps fresh clothing would be in order? And something to satisfy your hunger?"  
  
"Ow!" Xander glared at Buffy, rubbing his ribcage again. "What? What did I do this time? I didn't say a single, friggin' word!"  
  
"Yes, that would be most appreciated," Elenya replied on behalf of the entire group. She glanced over to Buffy and Xander, trying not to laugh. "Thank you," she added as Arwen sent off her entourage to prepare rooms for their guests.  
  
"Can we get baths too?" Willow asked. She wrinkled her nose as she used her shirt to fan herself. "I'm starting to stink so bad that I'm making myself sick." She noticed Arwen sort of staring at her. Then Willow realized it wasn't her that Arwen was looking at. Her ring glimmered in the sunlight that streamed into the grand hall. Quickly, she put her hand behind her back, hiding the ring from the Elf's view.  
  
"All is being made ready," Arwen assured Willow and, smiling, she offered to show them to their rooms. Perhaps her eyes lingered on Willow even as she turned away again.  
  
-  
  
The rooms were lavish, at least by the standards Buffy and the others were used to, and clothes had already been laid out for them - elegant robes in Elf-style for Willow and Buffy, and long tunics and pants for the men.   
  
"This... I can't. This is too much," Buffy said as she held up the bright blue, jewel-encrusted gown.  
  
"Would you come naked, then?" Arwen asked with a half-smile. "Your clothes are worn thin and dirty from your travels. Set them aside and accept the dress as a gift. Friends of Elenya and Mithrandir will never be short of hospitality in the house of my father. Dress and bathe, as you will, and enjoy Rivendell until my father seeks you out."   
  
She bowed to them, then had a quick whispered conversation with Elenya. The two women headed off down one of the many hallways.  
  
Xander admired the dress that Buffy frowned over. It wasn't so awful, in his opinion. He rarely saw Buffy in fancy clothing like that - it was always her school stuff or sweats and tees. [I'd rather see her in nothing -] He cleared his throat, coughing at the same time to get the thought out of his head. "If all Elves are that, uh, friendly, I think I forgive them for the Christmas incident."  
  
Buffy laid the dress down on her bed then looked over her shoulder at him. "Yeah, I'm sure you will," she said, rather pointedly. He'd been salivating over Arwen since he'd laid eyes on her. She caught Xander's gaze for a moment then looked over to Willow, who was toying with her ring. "Why do you keep messing with that thing, Willow?"  
  
"Hmm? Huh?" Willow looked up at the other three. They all watched her, Buffy more curiously than the others. She shrugged then let her hands drop to her sides. "I just think it's pretty. Is that a crime?" She picked up the gray/silver gown, similar to Buffy's, and admired it a moment. "I don't know, Buffy, these dresses are very nice."  
  
Buffy eyed Willow for another moment then said, "Well, we'll see how it is after they're on." She glanced at her friend again and she shook her head. [What's her problem lately?]  
  
"Please do try to behave," Giles said. He had a feeling the manners and grace of the Elves hid no small measure of inner power. It would be best to stay on their good side. Then he absently headed to his room, leaving the three younger guests to their own devices.  
  
"So... bath time?" Xander asked once they were alone. Then "Ow! Kidding!"  
  
-  
  
The dining hall of Rivendell was almost as large as the cafeteria of the late Sunnydale High School. Already, it was nearly filled with Elves and a very few Men with the same regal demeanor as Elenya, and, in one of the seats of honor, an aged Hobbit smoking a wooden pipe.  
  
"Well, this looks like a hip and happenin' party," Xander sarcastically mumbled from behind Buffy and Willow. He pulled and picked at his tunic. He wasn't quite sure the Elves sized him right.  
  
Willow glanced back at Xander, smiling a bit. She noticed that he stared at Buffy a little too long. Part of her felt a tug of jealousy. It wasn't long ago that she and Xander had a fling of their own. Now with Cordelia and Angel out of the way - Xander had old ideas in his head again. And his ideas revolved around a certain Slayer.  
  
"Uh... where?" Buffy asked Elenya in a whisper.   
  
Hearing them, or perhaps reading the question upon her face, the tall and noble Elf at the head of the table rose and gestured to a row of empty seats at his left. "Come, guests, and be seated."  
  
"All right," Xander said rather enthusiastically, scooting over to the empty seat next to Arwen. Before he could reach it, however, a tall, dark-haired and stern-faced Man in a gray tunic came up to the Lady Arwen's side and laid one hand on her shoulder. He cast a look in Xander's direction. "Oh! That's your seat? I'm sorry. How stupid of me. I'll, uh, here, with Buffy between us," Xander stammered as he clumsily sat down at Buffy's left hand. Willow found a seat next to the white-haired Hobbit while Giles and Elenya were further down the table.  
  
"And that's a negative ten on the Suave Scale," Buffy whispered with a laugh.  
  
"Nobody told me she had a 'Hands-off, she's mine,' boyfriend," Xander muttered. "That's that, then," he concluded. His infatuation with the beautiful Lady Arwen had come to an end. Then a chime rang and Elves bearing large platters heaped with food emerged from a curtained-off doorway.  
  
Xander licked his lips and rubbed the palms of his hands together. "All right! Food! And it's not berries. I'm starving." Whatever it was, he didn't care. It smelled good and looked better. His mouth watered in anticipation.  
  
Elrond, for it was clear he was the Elf who had first spoken, uttered a chant-sounding phrase in Elvish, then smiled and invited all present to eat and drink in peace and joy.  
  
The food was superb, the wine was even better, and the company was best of all, and soon all five travelers found the sores and strains of their journey melting away. Only with considerable effort could one feel ill at ease in the Last Homely House, especially during the glorious feasts.   
  
Although shy at first, considering the company they were in, Buffy and the others soon found themselves opening up. They listened more than they talked, which was no surprise considering the wealth of lore and memory contained within the walls of Rivendell. But it was impossible to conceal the entirety of their tale. They told the other guests a little of their homeland, passing over the matter of it being in the future, and were hard-pressed to fend off all the many questions.  
  
Giles answered the most, and soon he was the focus of all the attention. The Elves and Men listened raptly, as did the Hobbit when he wasn't nodding off to sleep, and when Giles concluded, the Man, who was called Aragorn, lifted his glass.  
  
"May it be," the Man, who was called Aragorn, intoned. "Lands still free of the Shadow."  
  
"Perhaps," Elrond said. He looked doubtful. "The Enemy may hold by whispers what force of arms fails him, as he once ruled over lost Númenor. But it may be that you are right," he declared. "A great distance separates this land and ours, and the way of things may be different there."  
  
The talk turned to lighter matters as the main course was consumed and dessert served.   
  
Willow ate little, for her appetite had not recovered from the long journey. She stared at her plate and goblet, and idly ran one finger over her ring.  
  
"It's a lovely little bit."  
  
Willow jumped and jerked her ring hand back, then relaxed when she realized it was just the Hobbit. She forced a smile. "Thank you." [Some people should mind their own friggin' business,] she bitterly thought.   
  
"Elf-work, isn't it?" the Hobbit asked her with a knowing look. "Oh. Bilbo Baggins, at your service," he hastily added.  
  
"Baggins? Are you related to Frodo?" Willow asked him, slipping the hand with the ring onto her lap.   
  
"Oh, you know Frodo? Marvelous young Hobbit. I do wonder how he's faring," Bilbo said. "The Elves get news from time to time, but of course it's not the same as seeing him. I don't imagine I shall unless he finds his way here one day. He may. He's rather fond of Elves. But who wouldn't be?" he asked Willow.  
  
She shrugged. "They're nice," Willow said after a second or two.  
  
"Oh, that's just scratching the surface! There's so much more. The things they've seen, it's more than I can bear sometimes." Bilbo smiled again. "Can I see your ring again? It was quite lovely. I had a ring like it once. A real Ring of Power right out of the old stories. Found it in a dragon's lair, you know! Quite an adventure for a Hobbit. But that's such a long story."  
  
"Really?" Willow asked. [A Ring of Power?] she thought.  
  
"Oh, yes! A marvelous thing, but it's gone now, at any rate," Bilbo said, an odd, grim look on his face. "Although I would so like to see it again."  
  
"This is just an ordinary old ring," Willow explained. She was ready to ask Bilbo more about his old Ring, but an Elf sitting on the other side of Bilbo suddenly drew his attention. Willow let out a few deep breaths and rubbed her ring under the table to reassure herself it was still there.   
  
The rest of the dinner passed swiftly and guests began drifting away without any prompting from Elrond. Elenya left with a backwards glance at Giles, but Buffy and the others stayed, sensing it was not yet their time. When only they and the others in the seats of honors remained, Elrond rose once more. Glorfindel, Arwen and Aragorn listened attentively, but kept their eyes on Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles.  
  
"I think we should hold long council later," the Elf Lord said. "There may be some way in which I can help you. But I must search my memory. When the bell rings on the eighth hour, I will seek you out. Until then, your time is your own. Go and rest, or walk these halls, and we shall see what I can uncover." He nodded his head and the last remaining guests rose up and took their leave.  
  
Buffy slouched in her chair as Arwen, accompanied by Aragorn, were the last to leave the hall. "I hope they think of something," she murmured. "I don't want to have traveled all of this way for nothing." She slid further down in her seat, frowning.  
  
"We haven't much choice in the matter," Giles said as he pushed back his own chair again and stood. He looked at each of the teenagers. "And because we don't, I'll take Lord Elrond's advice and have a look around." His gaze traveled the length of the room then fell on them once more. "At the very least, the trip here will not have been a waste."  
  
"I guess it's just us, the three musketeers," Xander commented once Giles left the hall. He turned in his seat then focused on Willow who was still a couple chairs away from him and Buffy. "Hey, Will, you alive down there?" The corner of his mouth quirked when he saw she fiddled with her ring.   
  
"What?" Willow's head jerked up, and she looked at Buffy and Xander in surprise. She ceased in toying with the ring and forced a smile at her friends. She was curious about how powerful her new ring was. The urge to tinker with a few other spells she was unsuccessful with back home was almost unbearable. "What is it?" She noticed the room was empty save for the three of them. "Where did everyone go?"  
  
"Elrond had to put his Elf thinking cap on," Buffy answered. She rested an elbow on the table then propped her head up on her hand. "Everyone else wandered off to do whatever it is they do around here." She glanced over at Xander then looked back to Willow. "I have to admit, I'm more than a little interested in checking this place out. What about you guys?"  
  
"Nothing much else to do," Xander replied with a slight shrug. He blinked a few times when he realized he'd been staring at Buffy. She was so radiant in her dazzling Elven gown - the shade of royal blue was lovely on her. The jeweled hair ornament she wore twinkled underneath the light in the hall. He never remembered a time when Buffy Summers was so beautiful to him. Quickly, he averted his eyes when she looked at him.  
  
Buffy's eyebrow arched a little. Had Xander been staring at her? Actually, if he had, she didn't much mind. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, she felt a tug of guilt. Had she cared about Angel at all? She was so okay with Xander's staring at her, and her weird feelings about Xander's brief interest in Lady Arwen. So many things to deal with at once, it was nuts. Why were their lives so difficult all the time?  
  
Willow faked a yawn, stretching her hands over her head. "Actually, I wanted to go back to my room and take a little nap. It's been, you know, so long since we've had real beds with real sheets and real pillows." She offered a slightly devious smile at her two friends. "Besides, I don't want to be in the way." Pushing her chair back, she excused herself and headed out of the hall.  
  
-  
  
Back in her room, Willow checked around just to make sure she was alone. That Arwen had been awfully interested in her ring, and she wouldn't put it past these Elves to spy on people. Especially people with something they wanted. Convinced she was by herself, she sat down on the bed. Her face twisted up in a frown when she tried to slip the ring off.  
  
"What the heck?" she muttered. She pulled on it, but it was tight on her finger. Finally, she had to use her tongue to wet her skin and it slowly but surely slid off. "Ow." She flexed the fingers on her right hand then looked at the ring.   
  
An eyebrow arched. If she didn't know better, she could've sworn it had become smaller. Using her fingernails, she picked out the knot in the shred of rag and removed it from her ring. Willow turned the ring over in her hands, examining it carefully. Yes, it did appear to have shrunk. Odd. She slipped it back onto her finger with little trouble. It was still loose but fit a little more snug in place.  
  
She let out a breath then took a few moments to decide what spell she wanted to play with. When she decided on one, she brought up her hand, concentrating on a brush that sat on a vanity table far across the room. Her eyes narrowed a bit as she whispered the words to the spell. Slowly, the brush lifted up from the table and floated a few inches in the air.  
  
"It's working," she murmured, her face brightened with a smile. For a few minutes, she manipulated the brush about the room. She'd been toying with this particular spell before, using a pencil, but her concentration was never constant. The ring on her finger glowed dimly, she noted, as she drew the brush over to her.  
  
She snatched the brush out of the air, placed it on the bed, then she swiveled around and uttered the words to another spell. The wicks in the candles of the candelabra on the other side of her room erupted into flames. Clasping her hands together, she laughed, giddy with excitement. It didn't take any effort or real concentration on her part to make her spells successful. It was so easy now.  
  
Bringing her ring hand in front of her, she stared at her palm as she murmured the words to another spell. "Goddess Hecate, work thy will ..." The rest of the spell was completed in another language. Willow's eyes went wide; the little sparking ball of energy now floating in her palm mesmerized her.   
  
She lifted her arm, her concentration on making the energy ball do what she willed. The ball hovered about a foot in front of her face as she slowly removed her right hand from underneath it. Hands positioned on either side of the ball now, she shifted her gaze to the open window. The blue energy crackled faster, brighter as Willow's eyes narrowed on it.  
  
"Havab du!" she yelled using both hands to essentially push the ball away from her and out of the window. Once outside, it exploded into a bright flash of light then trails of sparks rained down harmlessly. They vanished in seconds, before any of the inhabitants of Rivendell could spot them.  
  
"Very cool," she said, a smile returning to her face. Her gaze flicked back to the ring. "With this, I'll be able to change Amy back into a human being when we get home. I'll be an even more powerful witch than she is, too. She'll be jealous, I bet."   
  
-  
  
Near to the dining hall, there was a little gallery of sorts that housed some of the lesser, but still ancient and powerful, heirlooms of the Elves. Armor and blades that had been borne in ages past, and the still-bright banners carried aloft on the very slopes of Mount Doom, but also graceful jewelry, necklaces and tiaras and rings of silver and gold, which had adorned the fairest of the Elves. There were statues there, too, of the lords and ladies of the Elves who had passed West over the Sea or perished before their time - Celebrian, beloved mother of Arwen, and Luthien, who had chosen mortality out of the deepest love, and Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor and the valiant Captain of the Last Alliance.   
  
Giles stared up at the statues and wished he could read the tales inscribed there in Elf runes. He could speak a little - a very little - Sindarin, but the written language of the Elves had been lost long ago, even to the Council. The Watcher sighed a little. Knowing the truth about the dawn of humanity was hard. He wished he could embrace the Council's myths once more - it would be more comforting to remain ignorant of all this beauty, lost forever.   
  
Then he stared hard at one statue in an especial place of honor. Giles squinted and studied the face of the statue, then turned when he heard a whisper of movement off to his side.  
  
It was Elenya. She was also staring at the statue, a look of reverence on her face.  
  
"Elros, Elrond's brother, and a king in his own right. My people are descended from him," she said to Giles.  
  
"Your people? But isn't he an Elf? I thought - "  
  
"He was born of the union of Man and Elf," Elenya explained. "Like Elrond. Elros chose mortality and died like all Men. But from him came the Royal House of Númenor and then of Arnor and Gondor. Aragorn and all the other Men here are of his blood."  
  
"And you?"  
  
Elenya nodded. "Very distantly, though. I have as much Bree-blood in me as Numenorean," she admitted with a whisper and a grin. "Little is left of the royal blood, at any rate. Enough to defeat the Enemy, that's my hope." She smiled faintly. "I hold with Aragorn, even if he thinks you are lost only in distance and not in years. Your presence here is still a sign that Man endures even if we should fail. No matter that you have forgotten us and our great struggle."  
  
"I'm sorry," was all Giles could say.  
  
"You shouldn't be," Elenya said quickly. "It does not matter what deeds were carried out and then forgotten, so long as they were carried out. But..." She smiled again. "This is not the place to speak of such grim things. Rivendell is a sanctuary, a place of rest. Come, I shall show you more of its wonders." Smiling, she took Giles by the hand and led him out onto one of the many walkways overlooking the river.  
  
-  
  
"It's awfully quiet here," Buffy commented as she and Xander continued to stroll along one of the walkways. Even under the star and moonlight, the Elven city was quite a spectacle to behold. For a moment, Buffy wondered what it might be like to just stay where they were. Forget about going back to the future, back to the place filled with so many bad memories, she'd never have to deal with it again. She would be free of it - the duty of Slayer.   
  
Stopping, she placed her hands on the railing then gazed out at the waterfall. Her eyes closed as she drew in a deep breath. The smells of clean air, fresh water and a million types of flora and fauna filled her nose. Slowly, she exhaled, her eyes opening at the same time. No stress to be found in this paradise. Yes, she could call this place 'home', couldn't she?  
  
"Yeah, too quiet," Xander murmured in reply as he stood next to her, placing his own hands on the railing. He shrugged his shoulders then pulled at the tunic. "It's not Sunnydale, that's for sure." He grumbled under his breath. "I think I need to see the local tailor. This thing isn't fitting me right."  
  
Buffy slid her gaze over to him, smiling a little as he tugged at the tunic. "You're just not used to it," she said. "It's not exactly jeans and flannels. It looks pretty good on you, actually." She cleared her throat, quickly then averted her gaze. "Well, you know. Better than what you had on."  
  
"Oh, I don't know. The rugged manly look suited me." He gave up pulling on the tunic then looked down at her. She still had her back to him. "You look good, Buff." He gave her another once over. "Real good."  
  
Buffy's lips pressed together. She heard that tone in Xander's voice. She knew that tone - what she'd been suspecting about him was real. Her hand tightened around the railing. "Uh, yeah," she said, slowly. "Thanks." [Should I say something? Would it do any good? I'm ... I'm just not ready for anything again. And he's ... he's Xander.]  
  
[I need to tell her. She doesn't know how I've felt all of this time.] Xander watched her closely. She wouldn't look at him now and that made him feel rather self-conscious. Stepping closer, he spoke softly to her. "Buffy, I think I should say something to you -" He paused, waiting for any kind of reaction from her. Nothing. "I couldn't say it before because of, well, there were a lot of factors involved."  
  
[Don't say it. Don't say it.] she frantically thought as her eyes darted around. She let out of quiet breath, and tried to keep herself calm. [Don't say it, Xander. Just don't say what I think you're going to. Don't make this any more complicated than it already is.]  
  
"Factors like ... like Angel," he finished. He paused again. Still no reaction from her. "Are you listening to me?"  
  
She swallowed hard then nodded. "Yes, I am."  
  
"Then I know you'll hear this, it's something I've been wanting to say to you since you came to Sunnydale," he continued. "Before Angel was ever in the picture, before Cordelia, before Willow, before all of it, I've always thought that ... that we might -" Without realizing it, his hand rested on her bare shoulder. " - we might be a pretty good thing."  
  
"Xander -" She tried to shrug his hand off of her shoulder but he gripped it.   
  
"Look, Buffy, I know you're still hurting over Dead - Angel," he quickly interrupted. His gaze dropped for a moment then lifted again. "I'm not asking for anything from you. You don't have to say anything to me; I just wanted to let you know how I felt. Before it was too late." His grip loosened though his hand remained on her shoulder. "In case something happened to one of us."  
  
Buffy closed her eyes, squeezing them shut. [Why did he have to say it?] She bit her lower lip, her insides squirming about as she tried to think of a way to respond to what he'd told her. Half of her did still hurt from her break up with Angel, however another part was eased by Xander's admission. In the weeks since arriving in this strange land, she'd seen sides of him she'd seen before, but in a different light.   
  
"Xander, I don't know what to say to that," she replied, her voice soft, as her eyes opened. "I'm ... I'm not sure how I feel about it. Everything's so ... so confusing lately. This is the first night I haven't been tied up in knots since we arrived in the past, then you tell me this and ... and ..." She trailed off. She didn't know how to put her feelings into words.  
  
"Buffy, I'm not trying to put you on the spot. I don't want you to feel cornered." He used both hands to turn the Slayer so she faced him. "I know you're in a lot of pain right now. And we're far from home and we have no idea if we'll ever get back -" He stopped when she looked at him for the first time. He lifted an eyebrow when he noticed the expression on her face. "You don't think we're going to find a way home, do you?"  
  
She stared back at him; her first impulse was to say 'no'. They'd come so far already and people kept passing the buck. First Gandalf, now these Elves in Rivendell would likely do the same. Plus, they had a lot of ugly Orcs and evil human beings mad at them for God knew what reasons. Throw the Slayer nightmares - nightmares that steadily grew in intensity with each day - onto that and it was a pretty nigh hopeless situation from where Buffy stood.  
  
As she began to answer, the bells clanged, drawing Xander and Buffy's attention away from the matter at hand. She looked back up at him. "That Elrond guy must've remembered something," she quietly commented. This discussion was far from over, she knew. More than likely, Xander would want to pursue it. It would have to be dealt with soon, too.  
  
Xander's hands slipped away from Buffy's shoulders. "Let's hope it's good news, like 'I know a way to get you back where you belong'."  
  
"Yeah. Where we belong," she agreed. An awkward moment passed then she gathered up the dress in her hands, turned and headed back for the main hall. Her face flushed as she quickly walked away. She prayed that Elrond knew of a way to get them home. The sooner they were out of the past, the sooner she could get back to her own routine.   
  
-  
  
The bell echoed throughout the halls of Rivendell. Buffy and Xander, Giles and Elenya, and Willow all made their way to the dining hall, where Elrond and Arwen waited.  
  
"Come, I have word that will cheer you," Elrond said, then he ascended a staircase none had noticed before. Arwen followed close behind, her gown trailing in her wake as she rose up the marble steps. At the very top of the long winding stairs, there was a small chamber with no walls save for a dozen slender pillars and a roof of glass. Far below, the lights of Rivendell twinkled and the river gleamed in the moonlight. There was a curtain of stars above, bright and thick like nothing the four from Sunnydale had ever seen.  
  
In the center of the chamber, there was an ivory pedestal upon which was a silk pillow of the deepest blue, but nothing rested upon the pillow.  
  
Both Elves stood and looked to the West in silence, their faces pale and their expressions wistful. Then, after a long moment, Elrond smiled gravely at the five Men while his daughter stepped back.  
  
"I confess your troubles are unlike any I have ever known," Elrond began. "Never in all my long life have I met or heard of one lost in the river of time. Neither has Glorfindel, or any of the others who dwell under my protection, from my beloved children down to Bilbo the Hobbit. It is a mystery."  
  
"So you can't help us?" Willow asked.  
  
"I did not say that," Elrond gently corrected. "None here know any lore that can help you find a way home. But..." He turned now to the east. "Beyond the mountains, many leagues south and east of here dwell my wife's kindred. Among them is the Lady Galadriel. Few live who are older or wiser than she. And ..." He looked to his daughter.  
  
"Long did I dwell in the forest garden of Lothlorien," Arwen said. "Songs are sung there that are forgotten in all other lands, even Rivendell. And the memory of my grandmother Galadriel is deep and clear. Few things have passed in the past three ages that she does not know of. Much of what she knows she has shared with me." As she spoke, a dreamy look came over the Elf-maiden's face and her voice became slower and fainter.   
  
"Living the memories," Elenya explained in a whisper to Giles as Arwen continued.  
  
"There have been many visitors to Lothlorien in all that time; some seeking aid. Those with worthy hearts were never denied at least rest and protection before being sent on his way again. But there was once a traveler in need, one whom not even all of Galadriel's art and wisdom could help. She spoke of it only once, and then in passing."  
  
Arwen's voice became even softer. "There was a man, half-mad and desperate, who crossed the borders of Lothlorien, in the days when Sauron was still a shadow of the past. Pity stayed our blades and we gave him shelter until his madness faded. Or so we thought until he told his tale. The man, who gave his name as Darius of Londinium, knew nothing of Middle-Earth. Like you, he sought a way home."  
  
"And?" Xander prompted after a few seconds.  
  
"And that is all of the tale I was told. Galadriel never finished it and other, more pressing matters occupied our minds soon thereafter. That was the year of Bilbo's great quest. But there is no grave for Darius of Londinium under any of the trees of Lothlorien. It may be that my grandmother was able to send him on his way. If you seek a return to your home, your path must run through Lothlorien." Arwen sighed and stepped back again.  
  
"How far away is Lothlorien?"  
  
"Hundreds of leagues," Elrond replied. "You must cross the mountains, no short journey in its own right, and then travel south along the River Anduin for many weeks until you reach the golden trees of Galadriel's realm. If you set out now, you may yet reach it before winter comes. Or you may remain here until spring and brighter days. But my heart tells me that you should depart soon if you hope to find success in the end," he said, looking at each of them in turn. "The road will be perilous and you may stay here, as well. The choice is yours."  
  
"There's no choice. No offense, I really like Rivendell but this isn't home," Buffy said. "I'll go anywhere I have to so we can get back to Sunnydale. Even Mordor. And the sooner the better."  
  
"Speak not that name!" Elrond said a bit harshly. For a moment a chill seemed to enter the room, then it passed. "But does Buffy speak for you all?"  
  
"She's right. We can't find our way back if we stay here," Giles said.  
  
Xander nodded in agreement. "I'm with her, no matter what."  
  
"Me too. I wanna get - get back home," Willow quickly said.  
  
"I go with Giles," Elenya said, coming up to his side. "And to keep the promise I made to Frodo Baggins."  
  
Elrond nodded and did not mention the fact that Elenya's promise had only gone as far as Bree. Her reasons were clear enough. "So be it. I will offer what help I can. Clothing and food and weapons you shall have, and maps to guide you on the way. I will send messages ahead to Galadriel such as I can in these days, and you may find her awaiting you when you arrive."  
  
"You are too generous, Lord Elrond," Elenya said, knowing that few guests were treated so well in these dark times.  
  
The Elf shook his head. "Nay. I only pray my little gifts will see you to the end. The night grows old," he said. Indeed, the Moon had risen, reached its peak and begun to set in the while they had been talking atop the high tower. "Go and rest. Tomorrow, be at ease and make ready for the travels to come. When the next morning comes, all will be ready for your departure."  
  
-  
  
All too soon, the appointed morning came. Their horses were waiting, rested and ready, and joined by one more to carry their gear - both new and old. As promised, Elrond provided each member of the group with a new blade, except Elenya who kept her trusty Dwarf sword, as well as clothing well-suited for travel and many days worth of rations.   
  
Many folk came out to see Buffy and her companions off - Arwen and Aragorn, Glorfindel and a score of other Elves, Bilbo and, of course, Elrond himself.  
  
Buffy, feeling much more comfortable decked out in traveling attire, swung the quiver of arrows down from her shoulder while one of the Elves packed and secured the saddle on her horse. She pulled out one of the arrows, her brow furrowed as she examined the arrowhead - it resembled a piece of solid black glass.   
  
"Um, what's this?" she asked as she turned to the Elf as he finished with the horse. She nodded towards the arrowhead. "That doesn't look like any arrowhead I've ever seen, pal. Are you guys trying to gyp us or something?"  
  
"Gyp?" repeated the Elf, confused by the terribly strange speech of the young woman. He looked to Elenya, almost desperate for help.   
  
"What is it?" Giles asked as he joined the Slayer.  
  
"Look at this, Giles," she said, shoving the arrowhead up in his face. "These Elves are giving us crappy weaponry. Does that look like a decent arrowhead to you?"  
  
"You'll find these are preferable, Buffy," Elenya commented as she came up to them. She gestured to the Elf, letting him know she would handle Buffy's troubles. Her attention shifted back to the arrow in Buffy's hand. "The black glass is incredibly sharp. The cuts are clean and smooth, very superior to various arrowheads used by others in this land. Orc and troll hides are easily pierced by it." She smiled a little. "You are not being ... gypped, was it?"  
  
Giles peered at the arrowhead over his glasses then ran his thumb over the flat side. "This arrowhead is fashioned from obsidian," he murmured then looked over to Elenya. "Other ancient peoples used this very substance to make arrowheads - it's fascinating."  
  
The Elf Buffy had spoken came to one side of Elenya, watching the younger Slayer accept the arrow back from the Watcher. "Such a weapon is deadly in the hands of someone untrained," he said, mostly to Elenya.   
  
Buffy picked up the bow, slung the quiver back over her shoulder then looked at him. "I think I can handle it," she replied a little flatly. "There are just some weapons you don't need a whole lot of training for. It's like an automatic camera - point and shoot. No big."  
  
Xander leaned towards Willow, never taking his eyes off the scene before them. "Ten bucks on Buffy - she could take him," he said in a low voice.  
  
"Are you certain you will be safe?" the Elf asked Elenya, not even bothering to keep his voice down so Buffy couldn't hear him.  
  
Buffy drew one of the arrows, placed the butt against the string of the bow as she whirled around then threw back the string and let the arrow fly. It sailed a good distance, sticking neatly into a knothole in one of the trees - it was quite a shot. She slid her gaze over to the Elf, a smirk of "I told you so" on her face; she lowered the bow.  
  
"What do you think? Think we'll be safe, guys?" she asked, glancing back to Giles, Willow and Xander. She enjoyed that look of surprise that the Elf barely managed to hide from her. He didn't expect that, it was a satisfying moment for her, too.  
  
Xander shook his head, chuckling lightly. Willow turned away to make sure her horse was prepared for the long journey ahead of them. And Giles just offered an apologetic look in Elenya's and the Elf's direction.   
  
Buffy made her way to her own horse as Elrond stepped forward to officially bid farewells to the brief guests of Rivendell. And impart a little information.  
  
"Follow the old road north, ever higher, and by the end of the day you will come upon the High Pass. Keep to it and soon you will reach the height of the mountains," he said. Given directions were often more trustworthy than a map. "It is two days, three if the weather is harsh, and then you will begin to descend once more upon the eastern slopes. From there, continue on eastward until you see the Great River before you. Then go south, always keeping the River at your shoulder, and before two weeks pass you will see the realm of Galadriel ahead. Beyond that, I cannot see what road you will take."  
  
"Travel carefully," Aragorn said. "The wilderness east of the Mountains grows more dangerous every year. There are Orcs there, and wolves. And remember those who attacked you near Bree. I do not think they were mere brigands," he cautioned, looking up at Elenya, who nodded and glanced to the east, knowing what her lord meant.  
  
"Give greetings to my grandmother from me," Arwen said. "But do not tarry too long in Lothlorien. My heart tells me that haste is your friend. Go with the protection of the West upon you."  
  
"Watch out for Trolls!" Bilbo called out as the five riders passed under the arched eastern gate. "Be careful!"  
  
With many backwards glances, Buffy and her friends rode north along the ancient road until finally Rivendell vanished behind them. Their time there had been brief, but it felt like months, especially when the sun set and they made camp amidst the rocks.  
  
"I will take the first watch tonight," Elenya said after supper. "We are still close to Rivendell, so I think you can sleep without fear of Orcs."  
  
"Great. I'm more worried about the bugs and rocks and wind chill factor," Xander grumbled as he tried to find a clear spot to lie out his bedroll.  
  
"A tale might make the time go swifter, or sleep come sooner at least," Elenya suggested. She turned to Buffy. "Tell me again about the Master," she asked. The story of Acathla interested her more, but there was a hidden grief there of which Buffy was reluctant to speak.  
  
"Okay. It all started near the end of my sophomore year. I'd just moved to Sunnydale from Los Angeles." She rolled her eyes. "You think this is bad? Talk about your culture shock!"  
  
End Chapter 5  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	6. The Trouble With Willow

Chapter 6 - "The Trouble With Willow"  
  
"Willow."  
  
Willow's eyes drifted open. It was still night but something was strange about the sky. Her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what it was. The air was stale and chilly as well. She blinked a few times, cleared the sleep from her eyes then realized what was different about the sky - an odd red tint was upon it.  
  
"Willow," said the voice once again.  
  
"Huh?" She sat up on her bedroll and her eyes scanned the darkness beyond their small camp. Her arms wrapped around her upper body, all she could hear was the sound of her own breathing and the soft crackle of the fire. Slowly, her gaze shifted over to her friends. Giles, Buffy, Xander and Elenya were still very much asleep. They hadn't heard the voice, apparently.   
  
"Willow!" The voice was closer now, but it was a hushed tone.   
  
The young witch rose to her feet, her ring hand lifted as she turned in a circle, scanning the perimeter. She would blast anyone who tried to attack her or the others. Her eyes narrowed again as she focused on a dark shadow, just beyond the reach of the campfire's light.   
  
"Who's there?" she demanded. She took a step back as the figure advanced. Her hand lowered, stern expression shifting into one of surprise and puzzlement. "Frodo?"  
  
The soft golden light illuminated the youthful face of the Hobbit, Frodo Baggins. He was dressed in traveling clothes - but carried nothing in the way of supplies. He glanced at the sleeping Men then looked up at Willow. "They'll take it from you, you know. You mustn't let them."  
  
"What?" Willow's eyebrows arched. "What are you talking about? Who's going to take what?"  
  
One of his hands reached out to her hand that bore the ring she'd found in Bree. "This. They will try to take it, Willow," he warned. He stood a few feet in front of her, a strange look of concern on his face now. "Tell you that you shouldn't use its power, that it's a product of Evil."  
  
"This?" She looked down at the ring on her hand. It shimmered on its own. "Why would they want to take this? It's my ring and it's not evil." She met the little Hobbit's gaze again. "Since I've had it, my spell casting has improved. I'm not going to give that up. I'm finally doing something right." Her hand drew back, almost in a protective manner of her treasure. "How do you know so much about it anyway? And how did you find us? The way you told it, you never leave the Shire."  
  
A roll of thunder from the South and East forced Willow to turn in that direction. The red tint seemed to originate from there - something dark loomed about and it wasn't happy. She looked down at her ring again then brushed her fingers over it, a sense of comfort flushing over her upon contact. Fear of what lurked in the lands beyond the mountains now gone she turned to deal with Frodo.  
  
"Frodo?" she asked when she didn't see him standing there anymore. She ventured away from the camp, searching among the rocks for the Hobbit. "Frodo? Where are you?" [I hope nothing happened to him,] she thought. But why did he come all of that way just to tell her about the ring? Whatever the reason, it was obviously of great importance.  
  
Turning, she stared back at the four who still slept near the fire. [They'll try to take it from me, he said.] Her eyes narrowed on them. [They've been bitching and moaning about this ring since I found it. Especially Buffy. She must be jealous that I'm no longer powerless.] Her left hand spun the ring around her finger, her glare becoming more suspicious. [Makes me wonder.]  
  
-  
  
"Willow!"  
  
Willow's eyes popped open and she found Buffy leaned over her, a curious expression on her face. She blinked a few times, and then rose up a hand to shade her eyes from the morning sunlight. [What happened? One second it's night time, and now suddenly, it's day and everyone is awake? Did I get knocked on the head?] She pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked over to Elenya who helped Giles pack up the horses.  
  
"It's morning already?" she sleepily asked. She yawned loudly then stretched her arms over her head. [My ring!] She jerked her hands down and immediately relaxed when her ring was still safely on her finger. She smiled at it. [Safe. You're safe on my finger, right where you belong.]  
  
Buffy put her hands on her hips as she looked over to Xander. He'd been watching the scene with concern. Willow hadn't had a peaceful night's rest, they all knew. The redhead tossed and turned in her sleep, kept mumbling things under her breath and a couple times, she spoke in some language that Buffy didn't recognize.  
  
"Yes, it's morning, Will. The sun came up, that's generally your first clue." She held out a hand to help her friend to her feet. "Your horse is all saddled up. We decided to let you sleep in today." She saw the way Willow regarded her outstretched hand. [What's her problem? Why's she staring at my hand like I have a sixth finger?] Her hand dropped to her side. "You have a bad dream or something?"  
  
"Hmm? What makes you ask that?" Willow paused in rolling up her bedroll then looked back over her shoulder at Buffy who now had Xander standing beside her. "I slept fine." For a moment, she wondered if she should mention that Frodo Baggins had been there. Something inside made her think better of it. His warning was still fresh in her mind - [they'll take it from you.]  
  
"If you insist," Buffy replied, holding up her hands a bit. She glanced back at Xander then headed over to Giles and Elenya. She looked back to Willow. Xander helped her pick up all of her things so they could be on their way. "You've noticed Willow's weird behavior since Bree, right, Giles? Tell me that this isn't all in my mind."  
  
"Well, I -" Frankly, Giles's mind had been occupied with so many other matters. The stories Elenya told about the dawn of man and the world shook him to the center of his very being. Everything he'd resigned to being nothing but merely a fairy tale was the truth. The truth had evolved into a child's story of "once upon a time". "I hadn't noticed, Buffy."  
  
"She's wigging out," Buffy told him. She looked up to her Watcher. "It's like she's got this bad case of PMS that she can't shake. She's irritable and confrontational. It's not Willow."  
  
"Buffy, this situation has been extremely stressful for all of us. Perhaps Willow isn't able to cope as well as you've been able to," Giles suggested. He saw the look in Buffy's eyes. She didn't believe that to be the problem. "You shouldn't trouble yourself too much over it. We're all behaving differently these days."  
  
Elenya hadn't known Willow long, so being able to judge what was not normal for the girl wasn't possible. She had noticed, though, that Willow was quite taken with her ring, something she'd picked up in Bree, according to Buffy. Many magickal rings existed in Middle-earth - some of them full of Evil. As she'd witnessed, Willow was a conjurer of magick. She wondered if there could be a connection -  
  
"She's been restless for a long time, Giles. Talking in her sleep, mumbling things I can never quite make out. It's more than stress. This is getting scary."  
  
Willow, with Xander's help, finished with packing up her horse. The four of them had picked up a lot of skills since arriving in Middle-earth - horseback riding, some more advanced weapons training, and a bit of Elvish. She checked the bridle to make certain it was properly affixed to the animal. Her gaze flicked over to Buffy who talked with Giles and occasionally looked over in Willow's and Xander's direction.  
  
[They're already plotting against me,] she thought; her gaze narrowing briefly at the two she'd considered dear friends. Especially Buffy. Her eyes fell on her ring; it shimmered in the morning sunlight. [They'll try to take it from you.] She couldn't get Frodo's voice out of her head. Blinking, she tore her gaze from the piece of jewelry.  
  
"You ready to head out?" Xander asked. He stared at Willow's profile. "Wills, are you sure you're okay? You've been ... a little different the last couple of days."  
  
"Different?" She looked at him, a half-suspicious expression on her face. [You, too, Xander?] "What do you mean I've been different? I'm still Willow."  
  
"I don't know," he replied with a shrug. His attention was caught by the glimmer of Willow's ring. She'd become awfully proud of the item she'd picked up in the alley in Bree. Willow was a lot of things, but excessively vain wasn't one of them. "You and that ring, for starters. It's like it's your new best friend."  
  
Willow balled her ring hand into a fist and drew it closer to her body. "It's not my new best friend!" [It's my only friend, apparently. You're all so jealous of the fact that I have it. Why would you care so much about it, if you weren't?] "And I'm not different, okay?"  
  
Xander watched Willow absently massage her balled up ring hand with her other hand. It was disturbing behavior, to say the least. He wondered exactly what was in that ring that was able to give Willow a boost in her magickal powers. "Maybe you shouldn't wear it?" he suggested.  
  
"Maybe you should mind your own beeswax," she snapped in reply. She took hold of the saddle, placed her foot in the stirrup then easily mounted her horse. Taking the reins in her hands, she looked down at Xander. "It's my ring, Xander, and what I do with my property is my business."   
  
"Willow -" He blinked once. This wasn't like her. He'd known the girl since they were tiny, and in all of those years, never had she acted in this manner. Not towards him, not even towards Cordelia, and Willow loathed her. "If something's wrong with you, then it's my business. That's what friends are all about."  
  
An uncharacteristic glint came to Willow's eyes and wicked smirk crossed her face. "Maybe it's not really me you're so concerned about, Xander. It's just plain old jealousy. It's bugging you; the fact that I have something that makes me happy..." Her gaze shifted over to Buffy, who was now on her own horse. "... and you don't."  
  
Xander stood there, dumbfounded, as Willow dug her heels into the sides of her horse and rode away from him. Had she just said that to him? Did those words actually come out of Willow "I'm just a shy girl" Rosenberg's mouth? He swallowed hard. Never had she said anything that stinging to him - ever. She hadn't salted a wound; she'd jammed a hose in there and pumped it in with full force.  
  
Rather dejected, and still concerned about Willow, he made his way to his own horse and hauled himself into the saddle. He sat there, staring at the ground, barely hearing Buffy's voice calling out to him.  
  
"Hey, Xander! Come on! Let's go!" She waved a hand for him to join them when he looked up at her. Buffy noticed the look Xander wore. She sat back in the saddle, her eyebrows arching in a questioning manner, as if to say 'what's wrong'?   
  
"We have several days of travel ahead of us," Elenya said as she drew her horse to a stop between the two teenagers, attracting both of their attention. She looked from Xander over to Buffy. "The mountains are unforgiving. We must cover as much ground as possible before night falls once more."  
  
Buffy reined her horse around, falling into the line of travelers behind Xander, and brought up the rear while Elenya moved into the point position. Biting her lower lip, she stared at Xander's back, wondering what had upset him. Was it what happened the other night in Rivendell? That she'd not ... not responded to him in the way he'd wanted?  
  
After throwing one last look over her shoulder, knowing that somewhere in the lands behind her was Rivendell, Buffy sighed heavily. She had the feeling that things weren't going to get any easier on this trip. It just wasn't the Scooby style.  
  
-  
  
Two days passed without any event of note. At night, Buffy continued to tell Elenya the stories of her great battles. And Elenya would politely listen, interested in the tales, but mostly it was comforting to hear that Man would endure. In some time, so far off, these people and places Buffy spoke of existed. While the Slayers bonded, Giles took it upon himself to further Xander's education in self-defense in which Elenya had started him. If Xander expected to survive in Middle-earth, he would need more skill with a weapon than he possessed.   
  
Willow, however, she continued to draw into herself and away from her friends. She dreamed of Bilbo Baggins the night after she'd dreamed of Frodo. Bilbo, the possessor of a magick ring at one time himself, passed along the same warning as Frodo - they would try to take it from her. He also advised her to never turn her back on the others. Jealousy could turn deadly. And with every dream she had of the two, something dark to the southeast would draw her attention. Whatever it was, it drew closer and closer to her as the nights passed.  
  
Elenya slid down from her horse, taking the reins in her hand she walked ahead of the others to check out the rocky path leading down. They were still rather far from the bottom of this particular mountain, but once they'd crossed it, it would be a straight shot to the woods of Lothlorien. She let go of the reins, holding up her hand to Aratar to keep him back. A rockslide had recently taken place, from what she could tell, the path was blocked.  
  
"This is just typical," Buffy muttered as she watched Elenya check out the mound of rocks, trying to figure out what the next move would be. "The past really sucks, Giles." She looked over to her Watcher. "I think I liked your version better. With the demons and everything, not all this crap."  
  
"I preferred my version as well," he agreed. It was for another reason entirely. If this past held true to what he'd read of it, they were in for a lot more trouble. He fell silent as Elenya returned to report to them. "Will we be able to pass here?"  
  
Elenya shook her head. "I do not believe so. Unless we leave the horses -" There was a loud whinny of protest from Aratar as he nudged her. She laughed lightly, placing a hand to his muzzle to calm him. "Unless we leave the horses, and that wouldn't be a wise decision. We have long journey ahead of us which is better traveled in haste." She looked over her shoulder in the direction they were headed. "We are not alone out here."  
  
"Huh?" Xander glanced around; more alert now. "What do you mean? Are there Orcs or something around?" He rested a hand on the handle of his sword but didn't draw it from its sheath.  
  
"No. This is something ... else." She paused a moment. The dream of the dark shadow had not left her since that night in Bree. Its pursuit of the future Slayer and her companions was a concern - if Mordor had taken an interest in them, what was the reason? Aragorn's warning also weighed heavy on her. Her head swiveled around. "We will have to find an alternate route. I do not know how many days would be added to our journey, unfortunately."  
  
"I can move the rocks out of the way," Willow said. She dismounted from her horse then looked at them. "A simple manipulation spell should do the trick." She wasn't totally sure she could pull it off. Earth wasn't one of the elements she'd quite mastered. Though, with the ring's help, she had the confidence of success. "Then we don't have to find another way down and waste a lot of time."  
  
"Willow, I don't think you should be using spells when we can find another way down," Buffy replied. She glanced over to Xander then looked down at Willow again. "What are a few more days? We've been gone from Sunnydale for weeks now; time's not a huge issue. Better safe than sorry."  
  
"I must agree with Buffy," Giles said. "We shouldn't want to attract any attention if we can avoid it. A speedy journey is pointless if we're outnumbered by an enemy."  
  
"I'm with the majority on this one," Xander quietly added. "Let's just find another way."  
  
Willow's brow furrowed as her hands balled into fists at her sides. It wasn't fair. When she finally had something to contribute, they wouldn't let her use it. And of course Giles would agree with what Buffy had to say, and it was no surprise to her that Xander was right there with them. They were envious of her new powers - it was obvious. Buffy didn't want to have Willow being the one to save the day. No, the Slayer couldn't have that, could she?  
  
Her jaw clenched as the three she'd once considered to be her closest friends reined their horses around to head back in the direction from which they'd came. The knuckles of her balled hands turned white. [I'm not going to be written off. They're going to see how powerful I am.] Her hands opened up, her arms rigid at her sides as she concentrated on the spell she wanted to use.  
  
Uttering the phrase of magick in another language, Willow whirled around and gestured her ring hand towards the rocks that blocked the path. The mountainside rumbled violently as the blockage broke apart and continued to tumble down the mountain. The horses whinnied, frightened by the shaking of the ground beneath their hooves. Elenya, still on foot, struggled to keep her balance and help Aratar remain calm. She shielded herself from the smaller rocks that rained down on them from high.  
  
Once the rocks had cleared away from the path, Willow lowered her hand, a satisfied grin on her face. Their route was passable once again. Her smile faded, however, when the mountain rumbled once again. She gasped loudly as a large crack opened between her feet and zig zagged out in front of her. [Oh no.] The mountain moaned loudly as the crack widened and Willow felt the ground falling away from her feet.  
  
"Will!" Xander was off his horse in record speed. He reached out a hand, desperate to grab his friend before she plunged to her death as the mountain pathway collapsed. He managed to seize her by the collar of her shirt and cloak, yanking her back with strength he didn't even know he had in him. "I have you, Willow!"  
  
Buffy leaped down from her own horse to help Xander with Willow. Once they were on solid ground, she shoved them back towards Giles and the horses. "Run! Now!" she yelled. She looked up when she heard a thudding from above them. A large boulder was headed straight down - and right for them. "Move!"   
  
The three of them barely escaped the path of the boulder. It slammed hard into place they'd just been standing then continued on down to the valley far, far below them. After that, the rumbling subsided. The three teenagers leaned against the side of the mountain, breathing heavily and relieved they'd managed to survive yet another adventure.  
  
"Is everyone all right?" Giles asked as he came up to them. He checked over Buffy then Xander. When he came to Willow, he paused to give her a disappointed look. Whatever had possessed her to use such a spell he didn't know. Rockslides were the result of the mountain already being unstable - her disturbance had almost killed them.  
  
"We're fine, Giles," Xander said. He leaned against the mountain, a hand to his chest, mostly to make sure his heart was still beating. "Just ... fine." He glanced around and noticed that somebody was missing. "Hey, you guys - where's Elenya?"   
  
Giles turned in a circle. He looked back in the direction from which they'd come. No sign of her. As he turned around, he saw Aratar standing near the collapsed section of the path.   
  
"Elenya!" he called out. His eyes narrowed on something, it appeared to be fingers gripping the ground. "Elenya!" He headed for the edge but skidded to a stop when his weight, added with Aratar's, caused the ground beneath his feet to shake.  
  
"Giles!" It was Elenya's voice. She was definitely down there, hanging on for her life. "Giles, stay back! Aratar!" She called out her instructions in Elvish. Aratar backed away from the edge, along with Giles, until the both of them were on the more stable portion of the rock.  
  
"Elenya!" Giles looked up the side of the mountain, down it until he was back at the edge where she hung on. "Elenya, are you able to pull yourself up?" The ground rumbled once more, and a few more small rocks rained down, then it settled.  
  
Dangling precariously from the edge of the collapsed mountain trail, Elenya glanced over her shoulder. Most of the mountain face had given way because of Willow's spell - more than just the boulders blocking the passage had been affected. She wasn't even certain how she managed to grab a hold of the edge. It just happened. Craning her head, she was able to see the ground far below. Her eyes closed and she tilted her head back.  
  
"No!" she called back. Her eyes drifted open. "I have nothing to gain footing upon! The side is smooth, and I barely have a hold on the edge as it is!" The ground grumbled and Elenya felt the rock slip but she maintained her hold. She would need help if she expected to survive, for if she didn't, the four travelers had no chance of escaping the mountains, let alone reaching Lothlorien.  
  
Buffy placed a hand on Giles's shoulder. "I'll do it." She saw the expression on his face but before he could object, she continued. "I'm a lot lighter than you are and, no offense, but I don't think you have the strength to pull her up." Her face softened when Giles reluctantly nodded, giving her permission. "I'll get her, Giles. I won't let her die."  
  
Willow pushed herself from the side of the mountain. "I can help her. I know a spell that -"  
  
Giles whirled around. "Willow, I think you've helped us quite enough with your bloody spells!" he snapped. He pointed a finger at her. "If you dare utter another incantation while we're on this mountain, I swear I'll -"  
  
"G-man," Xander said, calmly, as he placed a hand to the Watcher's shoulder. "Elenya. Let's get her to safety, okay." He looked from the furious older man to Willow, who appeared as though she may cry at any moment. When Giles turned his attention to him, Xander let his hand drop away. "I have an idea of how to keep the danger to a minimum."  
  
-  
  
"Are you sure about this, Xander?" Buffy asked as she watched him tie the rope around her midsection. This was his idea - tie a rope to her and fasten the other end to the saddle of Elenya's horse. That way, in case of another collapse, both Slayers wouldn't be lost. She lifted her gaze but he concentrated on the rope instead of looking at her.  
  
"We don't have time to test this. Elenya can't hold on much longer, and I don't want to lose you." He finished the knot, tugged on a few times then nodded when he was satisfied with his work. He finally met her gaze. He saw fear and doubt in Buffy's eyes. "You can do this. This is what you do, you save people, and Elenya, by some twist of bad luck, needs saving."  
  
Buffy drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly then closed her eyes. [You can do this. You can. You saw Cliffhanger - it's not that hard.] Her eyes opened and she gazed up at Xander. He was afraid, she could tell, but he was too macho to admit it. After a few moments, she swallowed. "Here goes nothin'," she murmured.  
  
"Be careful, Buffy," Giles said as he watched the blonde Slayer take measured and slow steps onto the portion of the mountain trail which was unstable. His muscles tensed, heart jumping into his throat when the ground rumbled slightly under Buffy's weight. [Please, Buffy, I can't lose you. I can't lose the both of you.]  
  
Buffy held out her arms to balance herself then looked over her shoulder. The ground had begun to crack again. The chunk of rock she and Elenya were now part of would fall soon. She drew in a deep breath then turned around, concentrating on Elenya's hands. The woman had a hell of a lot of stamina to hold on as she had. Putting one foot in front of the other, Buffy closed the distance between herself and Elenya.  
  
"Elenya?"  
  
Elenya tilted her head back. She smiled weakly when Buffy's face appeared over the edge of the rock. "Buffy," she breathed. Relief flooded her. Her arms had begun to tire; she wasn't sure how her fingers managed to cling to the edge of the mountain, either.   
  
"Never fear - help is here." Buffy offered small, but bright smile to her sister Slayer. Leaning over, she held out her right hand to Elenya. "Grab me. I'll pull you up."  
  
"She's there," Xander whispered, almost as though he thought speaking above a whisper would shake the mountain. He watched Buffy lean forward, extending out an arm to an unseen Elenya. "Come on, Buffy, hurry up. Hurry up." He kept glancing down at the fresh crack in the ground. He put one hand behind his back, crossing his fingers. [Please, Buffy, hurry.]  
  
Willow hung back by the horses. Her gaze narrowed a little as she watched Buffy struggle to help Elenya back up. She'd been silent since the collapse of the mountain - none of them wanted to speak to her anyway, it seemed. And Giles - her eyes narrowed sharper on the back of the Watcher - he'd taken it out on her, as if it was her fault that Elenya had gotten herself into such a situation. The rumbling of the ground made her attention flick back to Buffy. The crack widened again.  
  
"Buffy, you must hurry!" Giles called, his gaze flicking from the fissure to the Slayer on all fours.  
  
"I'm doing the best I can!" she yelled in reply. She took Elenya's arm with both of her hands then pulled with every ounce of strength in her body. Slowly, but surely, Elenya rose up with Buffy. She could feel the ground rumble under her feet but she ignored it. She focused on the task at hand.  
  
Elenya placed one foot on the edge of the rock then let go of Buffy's arm. Bringing her other leg over the side, she rested on the ground on all fours, her head bowed. The muscles in her arms screamed now. She sat back on her heels, her gaze lifting to look up to Buffy. She owed her life to Buffy. Secretly, she always thought the roles would be reversed - that she would be the one rescuing Buffy.  
  
"Thank you," she said in a soft voice. "Thank you."  
  
The ground shifted violently. Buffy wobbled sharply and Elenya put her hands down to steady herself.  
  
"Don't start thanking me yet!" Buffy pulled Elenya to her feet, slipped an arm around the other Slayer's waist and practically carried her to where Giles and Xander stood. No sooner did Buffy's feet leave step over the fissure in the rock, the portion of the pass Elenya had dangled from fell away from the mountain and crashed down into the valley far below.  
  
Buffy let go of Elenya and tumbled to the ground. Her eyes widened a bit as she witnessed the rock vanish from in front of her. Elenya fell into Giles, who wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling down. They, too, watched as the mountain crumbled apart. It was over. They were all safe and sound.  
  
"Buffy, are you okay?" Xander asked as he helped her to her feet.  
  
"I'm good. I'm alive, so yeah, I'm good," she answered, nodding. She began to pick at the knot Xander had made in the rope around her waist. "Elenya's alive, and I guess that's all the better." Her hands shook. Suddenly, Xander's hands took hold of hers; she lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "Maybe I'm not as good as I thought."  
  
"You're not good, you're Buffy." He offered her a small smile then helped to untie the knot from the rope.  
  
She tilted her head to one side as she regarded Xander. [Was he always like this, and I just didn't notice?] Soon, the rope was free from her waist. "Thanks," she said quietly.  
  
"It's just a little knot, no big," he answered with a shrug.  
  
"I didn't mean about the rope. I meant everything else I never said thanks for."  
  
Before Xander could respond, Giles approached. "We should leave," he said to them. "We'll have to backtrack some distance, according to Elenya." He placed a hand to Buffy's arm. "You did an excellent job, Buffy. Thank you." He met her gaze, and Buffy knew from that look it was more than just Buffy risking her life to save Elenya - much more.  
  
-  
  
Two more days passed. The trek back through the mountains was tough. Willow barely spoke to anyone after the mess at the mountain pass - she kept to herself. Her behavior worried Buffy and Xander the most. In fact, they brought it to Giles's attention one evening. Elenya was away from the camp doing a little perimeter patrol; Willow was tucked away under her blankets, back to the rest of them, asleep. The fire crackled as Giles took a seat across from Buffy and Xander.  
  
"What did you want to talk about?" he asked as he glanced from Xander to Buffy. Whatever it was, they were outwardly concerned.  
  
"About Willow," Xander replied. He glanced at Buffy then looked back to Giles. "You have to have noticed how weird she's been lately, Giles."  
  
"She's been withdrawn, too," added Buffy. She gestured to the sleeping redhead. "I mean, look. She won't even sleep near us. I'm worried about her. This isn't good. You remember how weird Faith got before she -" Her sentence ended abruptly. She hadn't wanted to make the comparison, not aloud, at least. She sighed. "We're concerned, Giles. We need to do something to help her."  
  
Giles rested his chin atop his steepled fingers as he listened to Buffy and Xander. He'd noticed Willow's withdrawal from them. She barely spoke to them anymore. After a minute of silence, he cleared his throat. "What do the two of you propose we do about it?"  
  
Xander and Buffy exchanged a look then turned back to Giles. "It's that ring, G-Man," Xander said. "I don't know how, and I don't know why, but ever since she's had it, she's been strange." He winced, recalling the nasty comment about Buffy that Willow'd flung at him a few days before. "You've seen how she acts when you mention that thing, too. It's freaky."  
  
"And what she did at the rockslide. We need to take it from her, Giles," Buffy picked up when Xander stopped. She stared at him through the smoke that rose from the campfire. "Before she does something that kills one of us or, worse yet, herself. I couldn't live with that. Knowing I could've done something before it was too late."  
  
Giles nodded as he sat up straight. He had to agree with the two of them, Willow had become a small menace with her newfound powers. He had reason to suspect Buffy and Xander were right about the ring being the cause of it as well. If the tales was correct, a bigger problem could arise. Willow was a beginner in the Craft - to cast such powerful spells without earning the knowledge was dangerous. As Buffy pointed out, the incident on the mountainside a few days ago was a direct result of it.  
  
"All right," he finally said with a sigh. He placed his hands on his knees as he looked at them. "We'll speak with her about it tomorrow evening. I shouldn't want to squander valuable travel time. We'll keep a close eye on her during the day." He raised his eyebrows. Buffy and Xander nodded, they would cooperate. "Good. Now, we should get some rest. Elenya is certain we'll be out of these mountains tomorrow."  
  
Across the camp, Willow lay on her side, her eyes wide open as she listened to what Giles, Buffy and Xander had to say. The hand with the ring on it lifted so she could see it. [So, they think they're going to take it from me, huh?] she thought, her eyes narrowing a bit. [Think I'll hurt somebody, Buffy? So glad you're watching out for my welfare. More like your own friggin' ego!]   
  
She brought her hand close to her chest. They could try to take the ring from her. "Try" being the operative word. She snuggled under her blankets. She couldn't turn her back on them anymore - they weren't really her friends. Jealousy had turned them against her. Bilbo was right about that. Now she had to remain ever vigilant.  
  
-  
  
End Chapter Six  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	7. The Darkness Never Sleeps

Chapter 7 - "The Darkness Never Sleeps"  
  
-  
  
The next morning, the travelers began their journey once more. Conversation was at an all time low. Willow didn't say a word to the others; she merely kept a close eye on them. Buffy and Xander kept an eye on Willow, too. Her behavior this morning was unusually suspect, still, they didn't make mention of it. As Elenya predicted, she'd managed to sort out an alternate route. The five rode out of the mountains and into the valleys in mid-morning.  
  
Elenya brought Aratar next to Buffy's horse. "Did you dream last evening?" she inquired, her gaze locked straight ahead as she spoke.  
  
Buffy blinked then looked over to her. "Y-yes, I did," she quietly answered. She glanced over her shoulder. Xander and Giles were far enough away they wouldn't be able to hear her conversation with Elenya. For the first time in a long time, Buffy kept her Slayer dreams a secret from the others, especially from Giles. He had enough on his plate; he didn't need this creeping shadow dream as an extra side. "Do you have any idea what it is we're dreaming about yet?"  
  
The elder Slayer's gaze briefly shifted in the direction of Mordor, then back to the land in front of them. "I have suspicions," she simply answered. In her dream, the figure had taken on a more distinctive form - humanoid and clad all in black. His face, however, was still a mystery to her. The Evil that emanated from him was unmistakable - a Darkness that only a select few carried.  
  
Buffy waited for Elenya to continue then she said, "Well, did you plan on cluing me in to these 'suspicions' of yours, Sherlock?" The latest dream had terrified her. The Evil that dripped from the figure - it was unlike any Buffy had ever faced in her time as a Slayer. Sure, the Master was big and bad but not quite that scary. Not even the Mayor had anything on this character. She wished she could've seen his face then at least she'd know him when he finally showed up.   
  
The distant whinny of horses caught their attention. All five reined their horses to a stop and turned towards the direction of the sound originated from. Buffy shielded her eyes then her face paled as her hand dropped down to her side. Elenya saw the same thing Buffy had. Both Slayers reached for their weapons - Elenya her bow and arrows, Buffy grabbed her sword.  
  
"Oh man," Xander grumbled as he saw riders being trailed by a good number of Orcs on foot headed their way. "Not these guys again! What do they want from us already?" He slid out of his saddle, drawing his own sword at the same time. He glanced back at Giles as the Watcher, armed as well, joined him at his side. "We'll see how much of that sword stuff I've retained," he murmured.  
  
Willow, also dismounted from her horse, stood behind the animal - it wasn't as though she hid from the oncoming attackers, more like she lay in wait. She glanced down at her ring. So the others wanted to take it from her? They'd see how valuable her magick was when it saved their lives.  
  
Elenya brought up her bow taking aim on one of the mounted humans. She waited for him to draw closer before she fired. Before the arrow even made contact with its target, Elenya had drawn another arrow and took aim once more. Her next shot felled the lead rider. The Orcs, on the other hand, still charged towards them. She dropped her bow, drew her sword and with a yell, ran at oncoming enemy.  
  
Buffy was about to follow Elenya into the fray but she froze in place when she saw another rider, one that Elenya obviously hadn't noticed, riding hard for them. She looked over to Giles and Xander - they were already engaged in battle, trying to save their own lives. Her gaze shifted back to the rider. He was headed for Elenya, drawing his own sword at the same time.  
  
"Shit," she muttered. She threw her sword down, just for the time being, quickly grabbed her own bow and quiver of arrows from her horse. "Don't screw this up, Buffy. Don't screw this up," she whispered over and over to herself as she drew one of her arrows. As she took aim on the rider, two Orcs surprised her.  
  
She ducked, barely escaping decapitation by one of them. [Dammit. Where did these guys come from?] She snagged her sword while she was near the ground, made a mad swipe at the legs of one of the Orcs. It screamed in agony as Buffy's blade slashed through its legs, essentially cutting them out from under him. She blinked as she looked at the blood-laden blade. "Holy crap. What did those Elves do to this stuff?"  
  
"Ragh!" The other Orc brought its axe down on her but it was deflected by Buffy's blade. He delivered a vicious kick to her side, sending her rolling away from him.   
  
She lost her sword but she still had her quiver of arrows with her. Her gaze fell on one of the loose arrows lying just within the reach of her hand. The cackling of the Orc, so sure of his victory, was lost on Buffy's ears - all of her attention was riveted to that arrow with the obsidian head. Waiting for her chance, she didn't move until the Orc raised both arms up over his head, hands clutching tightly to the handle of his weapon as he prepared to bring it down on her. In a flurry of action, she snatched up the arrow, launched it at the face of the Orc in javelin style. The squeal of pain let her know she'd hit him.  
  
Staggering to her feet, she picked up her sword once more and then stood up straight. Gripping the handle of the sword tightly, she watched the Orc for a moment as it pawed at the arrow protruding from its left eye. The corner of Buffy's mouth quirked in a sly grin.   
  
"It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye." She swung the blade around, the sound of the metal tearing through flesh could be heard and once the blade finished, the head of the Orc dropped to the ground. Not wasting any time to gloat, she slung the quiver back over her shoulder, snatched up her bow and headed towards Elenya. The rider still bore down on them from the north.  
  
Xander's blade ripped through the flesh of the Orc's forearm. It wasn't much of a wound, not for this creature, but at least it rendered the sword arm useless. That gave him more of a chance to defeat this punk. He jumped back as the Orc swiped at him with an open hand. "Okay, I'm beginning to think we won't be able to talk this out," he said. He backed away from the advancing Orc and found himself backed up against a rather large boulder.  
  
The Orc growled at him, baring its teeth and he charged the human. Xander sidestepped letting the Orc smash himself face first into the side of the boulder. He brought up his blade as the Orc stumbled back, swayed from side to side then finally fell flat onto its back. The stupid creature had knocked itself out.  
  
"Ha." He nudged the Orc with his foot then laughed again. Putting on his best Scottish accent, he rested the blade on his shoulder and with a flourish of his free hand recited, "Let my armies be the rocks and the trees and the birds in the skies."  
  
Suddenly, the Orc sat bolt upright, screaming at him. Xander decapitating it silenced the Orc almost immediately. He sighed heavily as he stared at the dead Orc. "Sometimes the really sharp sword helps," he finished. He headed off to help Giles out of a tight spot with a few Orc foes of his own.  
  
Willow drew up her hand to cast a spell at one of the advancing Orcs, but it skidded to a halt then backed away from her. A few others who'd charged at her with him did the same. None of them dared to get any closer to her, they only continued to back away, growling and hissing at her. Her brow furrowed. What made them stop? They didn't seem afraid of her.  
  
The Orcs headed towards Giles and Xander, who were back to back, fighting off more than enough foes. Bringing up her other hand, Willow's eyes focused on the ground the retreating Orcs crossed.   
  
"Nirga sachi elonye kalil," she began to chant. The tempo increased with each repeat of the phrase.   
  
Soon, the ground quaked. The Orcs stopped, unable to keep their balance on the shuddering earth. The four of them glanced around, terrified of what was happening. Willow continued to repeat the words, nearly shouting them now, as she advanced towards Orcs. After raising her arms up, the earth tremored and a large fissure opened around the bewildered creatures. Willow brought her arms down and as they dropped to her sides, the earth ruptured and the four Orcs were swallowed into the steaming fissure and vanished from sight.  
  
Buffy whirled around when she felt the earth rumble. "Willow!" she yelled. But her friend didn't hear her. [We should've taken that damn thing from her before we left!] No time to worry about Willow now, she was at the very least safe from the Orcs. She turned again to check on Elenya. The other Slayer finished off the Orc she'd been fighting then took a moment to regain her strength.  
  
Rauko's horse came to a halt almost on top of Elenya. As he'd expected, the woman had been too involved in her battle with the Orcs to notice his coming. He prepared to plunge his sword into the woman's back but she turned around, visibly surprised to see him there. The smile on the horseman's face was the last thing Elenya expected to see - but destiny had other plans.  
  
Buffy drew back the bow then closed her eyes. She didn't want to see the arrow go into the rider; she didn't want to witness herself killing a human being, no matter what the circumstances. Her fingers unleashed the arrow and it raced towards center mass on Rauko's body.   
  
Unfortunately, it never made contact. Her eyes opened and she fully expected to see the man at least wounded. He wasn't.  
  
Rauko's gloved fingers clutched tightly to the shaft of the arrow Buffy had shot at him. The point was a mere half an inch away from his chest, the distance left between the obsidian tip and a mortal wound before Rauko managed to catch it. With one hand, he crushed the arrow's shaft and it showered onto the ground. Teeth clenched, he dismounted his horse.  
  
"What the -" Buffy blinked once. Had he caught that thing? How in the hell did he know she'd shot at him? He was concentrated on Elenya. She drew another arrow as Rauko engaged Elenya in one-on-one combat.  
  
"So ... you are the one," she snarled as she blocked a strike from Rauko's sword. Their weapons sparked upon contact with one another. Her eyes burned into his, a hatred for the Dark Lord and the Evil he sided with raged inside of her. "You'll not succeed in your task for your cursed master!" She shoved him back then advanced, delivering a blow with her sword that Rauko easily deflected.  
  
Rauko backhanded Elenya with such force it spun her around. "All shall be slaves to him," he hissed. "You, however, will not live long enough to see him rise again to power." Before Elenya could recover, he kicked her fiercely in the side then rammed the bottom of his sword handle into the middle of her back. He laughed as the Slayer collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily and bleeding profusely from the mouth.  
  
[Elenya!] Buffy hurried towards the man beating the crap out of the other Slayer. The yell of Orcs caught her attention. She drew an arrow from her quiver and without having time to aim, loosed an arrow at the oncoming creature. It squealed as the head penetrated its throat, just above the collarbone.  
  
Buffy ducked down, letting another charging Orc flip itself over her body. It landed on the ground with a grunt. Pivoting around on one foot, she tossed away the bow to draw up sword. She rammed the blade deep into the chest of the Orc, successfully taking him out of the fight.  
  
"Hey, Evil Guy!" Buffy yelled as she yanked her sword out of the dead Orc. When Rauko turned away from Elenya, who lay on the ground, Buffy swallowed hard. She'd fought humans before - but this guy had beaten the crap out of Elenya, a much tougher Slayer than she was. [You're going to have to kill him, Buffy. If you don't, you'll never get out of this place alive.]  
  
Rauko, sword clutched in his hand, chuckled as the small blonde faced off with him. He glanced at the dead Orcs Buffy had left in her wake then met the girl's gaze. "You fight quite well," he complimented her. "Or, perhaps, you are merely very lucky."  
  
"Hey, pal, who almost got wasted with the arrow?" Buffy shot back as she gripped her sword in her hands. Her brow arched, the sarcastic tone she was so famous for back in her voice now. "You really need to reevaluate who's the lucky one here."  
  
Elenya raised her head. "Buffy," she groaned. "Don't." The dreams - didn't the girl see? This was the shadow from their nightmares - Rauko was the one who pursued them - the servant of Mordor and its Dark Lord.  
  
Buffy charged Rauko. Unfortunately, before she could land a killing blow, the fact he was a living, breathing human being struck her once more. She hesitated. And her hesitation cost her. Rauko seized her by the wrist, squeezing until the girl's hand opened and her sword fell harmlessly to the ground. Her face twisted up in pain. She could do nothing but watch as he lifted his sword, preparing to shove the blade into her chest.  
  
[We're Slayers, girlfriend, the Chosen Two.] Faith's voice echoed in Buffy's mind as gaze locked with Rauko's.   
  
That was right. Buffy was still a Slayer, no matter what time period she was stuck in. Filled with a new strength, she wrenched her wrist loose from Rauko's grasp - to his surprise - took him by the arm instead then landed a fierce kick to his lower left side. Her free hand knocked the blade out of Rauko's sword hand, and following with the momentum, she spun fully around - her foot connected with the side of Rauko's head.   
  
He staggered backwards and barely regained his balance. He placed a hand to his face, drew back his hand and his eyes narrowed when he found his own blood glistening on his glove. The girl had drawn blood - HIS blood. His gaze shifted over to the blonde who now helped the Dunedain woman to her feet.   
  
"Come on, Elenya," Buffy breathed as she shoved the sword back into the other Slayer's hand. "You have to do this because I can't. I can't kill somebody, I ... I just can't." She met the woman's gaze and it was all said with a look - Elenya understood. Buffy came from a different time and different place, yes. A place with different rules and the girl's moral compass couldn't allow her to do what Elenya could.  
  
Elenya started to reply but Rauko appeared behind Buffy, and before she could warn her, the slave of Mordor took the other girl by the neck with both hands. Rauko lifted Buffy up from the ground and Buffy's hands grabbed onto Rauko's; she desperately fought to free herself before he strangled her.  
  
Xander's blade ripped through the neck of the Orc then he saw Buffy's predicament. "Giles!" he yelled. The Watcher turned and he, too, saw what Xander had.   
  
Willow skidded to a halt by the horses, her gaze affixed to Rauko with his hands around Buffy's neck. "Buffy," she whispered. Despite all of the paranoia, she felt the need to save the Slayer from certain death. Her hand rose up, gaze locking on Rauko as she thought of what spell to use.  
  
Elenya slashed with her blade, cutting into Rauko's upper left arm, forcing him to let go of Buffy. The young Slayer landed on her hands and knees, taking in deep gulps of air as her hands went to her throat. It was just like the dreams - the dark Shadow choking her to death. She blinked a few times as it finally dawned on her that this guy was who the dreams tried to warn her about.   
  
"Buffy," Giles breathed as he and Xander reached her. "Are you okay?" He offered a hand to her and pulled her up from the ground. He hugged her close with his free arm then looked up to see how Elenya fared. She and Rauko were engaged in another sword battle. "Who is he?"  
  
"The bad guy, Giles." Xander turned around then his face paled. "Oh great. This is not good, you guys." He pointed to the oncoming force of Orcs and mounted Men. "No way we're going to get out of this alive. Let me take this moment to suggest the Xander Harris answer to surviving situations like these - run."  
  
Willow rode up on her horse, the reins of the other three horses clutched in her hand. She dropped them down to the others. "We have to get out of here," she said then glanced over her shoulder. Arrows from the mounted archers began to rain down, one of which narrowly missed Willow's head.   
  
Buffy slid her sword back into the saddle sheath then, with Giles's help, pulled herself up into the saddle. "Willow, toss me that bow, would you?" She caught the extra bow the Elves had packed onto Willow's horse, reached back, pulled out an arrow and fired back at the approaching forces. "Let's get Elenya and get out of here!"  
  
Willow reined her horse around, uttered the words to a magick spell then gestured with her hand. A strong gust of air rammed into the army, knocking some down, but at the most it slowed their attack. She looked at the others. "That's not going to hold them for very long - we have to hurry."  
  
Rauko punched Elenya in the face, throwing her off balance for a moment. "Destiny will not best me," he declared. "You and the strangers you protect - your deaths ensure my victory." His expression changed when he saw Buffy and the others riding away. "No." He shifted his gaze to the south - the other portion of his forces was stalled for some reason.  
  
Aratar whinnied loudly. Elenya stepped back as her horse came between her and Rauko. She didn't want to leave this battle unfinished but the others had begun to flee. Muttering curses in Elvish, she leaped into the saddle. Aratar was already on the move so she didn't have to prod him. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, looking over her shoulder at Rauko.  
  
"Elenya!" Buffy dropped back until she rode to Elenya's left. "Where can we go? We have to find someplace to hide." She saw the look on the woman's face. "Yes, I said 'hide'! We're completely outnumbered! Where can we hide?"  
  
Elenya shoved her sword into the saddle sheath, her gaze shifting to the ground in front of them. Her lips pressed together as she stared at the rocky terrain ahead. "Come. Follow me. We can lose them there." She nodded towards the hilly area some distance away.  
  
-  
  
"Quickly! Quickly!" Elenya hissed, ducking and looking back down the winding trail. The Orcs were still close enough to let fly the occasional black arrow. On cue, an Orc arrow shot past Buffy and bounced off a rock just to her left.   
  
They climbed higher and higher into the hills, slowly pulling ever further away from the Orcish hunters. But they could still hear their calls and the echoes of their hunting horns, rising and falling as the Orcs wandered around in search of them.  
  
"We have to find some place to lay low," Buffy said when they nearly stumbled into a group of a dozen Orcs.  
  
"There!" Giles pointed at a cave, half-hidden behind a pair of gray birch trees, just off to their left. "Hurry!"  
  
The five of them managed to make it into the cave without being seen or heard, but just barely. No sooner had Elenya, their rear guard, ducked inside then the heavy footsteps of Orc boots rang on the stone ledge just above the cave entrance.  
  
She slowly crept back away from the mouth of the cave, one hand on Aratar's neck to keep him quiet, and hoped the other horses wouldn't give them away. Long dark minutes went by without so much as a hint of Orcs nearby and finally Elenya relaxed.   
  
Slightly, anyway. Despite the lack of Orcs, she still felt ill at ease. This cave had an ill feel to it.  
  
"Stay back from the entrance," Elenya whispered. Blindly, or nearly so, she took a torch out of her saddlebag and lit it on the third try. Even with the torch, she could only see ten or so feet. Beyond that, absolute darkness and maybe something more.  
  
"Buffy, come here," the older Slayer said, hoping she didn't sound too nervous.  
  
"What's up?" Buffy asked as she tip-toed over to Elenya. "Is - "  
  
"Shh." Elenya glanced around, then lowered her voice to a level that only another Slayer - or an Elf - would hear. A trick she rarely used, but here it seemed appropriate. "This place feels wrong. Do you sense it, too?"  
  
Buffy stared at Elenya. Her fellow Slayer's voice sounded funky, almost like she was whispering directly into Buffy's ear even though she was a good three feet away. Then Buffy nodded. She *did* feel something unpleasant down in the darkness, maybe that was what Giles was talking about - sensing vampires.  
  
"Vampires?" she asked, trying to imitate Elenya's super-whisper.  
  
"Perhaps. Or worse. Come with me," Elenya replied, the last sentence in a normal tone of voice. She drew her sword and held her torch aloft. "The rest of you, stay here."  
  
"Why? What's going on?" Willow wondered.  
  
"It's nothing. Stay there," Elenya insisted. She turned to Buffy. "Here. Light your torch, draw your sword and follow me." With that said, she cautiously headed deeper into the cave with her torch as a guide. With only a bit of hesitation, Buffy followed. As did Willow who tried hard not to be noticed.  
  
The cave widened the farther in one went, and soon both edges were lost in the darkness beyond the torch. After they had gone a few yards, Elenya realized the floor was sloping downwards. She stopped and lowered her torch to the ground, peering intently forward into the gloom.  
  
"Stairs."  
  
Buffy's face was a pale oval, her wide eyes and frown exaggerated by the strange shadows. "Stairs? Down here? What is this place?"  
  
Elenya shook her head. "I don't know."  
  
"Maybe we should go. Make a break for it or something," Buffy suggested. This place was giving her the wiggins big time. "We could give the Orcs the slip again and find somewhere else to hide out."  
  
"No. We have to see what it is."  
  
"What?" Buffy frantically shook her head. "Whatever's buried down there, let sleeping dogs lie, okay?"  
  
"We're Slayers, Buffy. We have to see what it is," Elenya insisted. "Now, come."  
  
Buffy sighed, but she followed Elenya down the wide, even stairway. It came to a sudden stop at a black doorway that lay slightly ajar. There was writing, silver and delicate, upon the door. Elenya knelt down and, torch held up close, began reading the graceful inscription.  
  
"Anadûnê zîrân hikallaba. It's Adûnaic," she whispered. "The language of Númenor. I cannot read it. But here - " Before she could finish the thought, the doors swung open as if from a sudden breeze.  
  
Elenya sprang back, sword raised high, but nothing leapt out of the room beyond. But there was something there. She could feel it like a shadow on her mind, darkness she had seldom before felt.  
  
"Buffy, come with me," she said, but there was no sound from the younger Slayer. Elenya turned. "Buffy?"  
  
After a second, Buffy snapped out of her near panic. "Coming," she said with a dry mouth, and somehow found the will to keep going. Maybe it was simple fear of looking like a coward compared to Elenya, or maybe it was something nobler within her, but whatever it was, it got her feet moving.  
  
Past the black doors lay a round chamber, some fifteen yards across, dominated by a single stone casket with a broken lid. Six brass pillars ran around the edge of the room, all of which were covered with more writing in the ancient Adûnaic script. And on the floor lay four pale, crumbling skeletons in rusting chainmail, clutching their shattered weapons even in death. They had clearly died in battle, as their armor was rent and their bones broken, and one's skull laid a small space away from his body.  
  
Away from the four warriors in chainmail there was another corpse. This one lay at the base of the stone casket, and indeed one arm was draped over the edge. The other held a broken sword untouched by rot or rust. She - it was clearly a woman, long black hair still spilled over her shoulders - too wore armor bright as the full moon, and unbroken save for one dark hole over her breast. A trick of the light made it seem as the dead woman stared at the doorway. Next to her was a strange rusting object.  
  
"A steel bow. The Númenóreans used them in their wars. Few others had the strength," Elenya murmured. But no Númenórean woman had ever gone to battle, at least in any tale she had heard.   
  
"She was one of us, wasn't she?" Buffy asked in a sad voice. "A Slayer."  
  
Elenya nodded in confirmation. Things were becoming clearer now. This  
Slayer and her companions had fought a mighty foe and were bested, and they rested uneasily here for thousands of years. Elenya wondered if their lingering spirits were what had made her feel so ill at ease.  
  
"We should give her and her fellows a proper burial," she murmured.  
  
"Right." Buffy tore her eyes away from the black circle where some ancient weapon had pierced the Slayer's breast.  
  
Elenya and Buffy headed to the remains of their ancient sister, while Willow found herself drawn to the stone coffin. It practically tingled with magickal power. She wondered who the dead person inside was and what had happened to him. Maybe he was a sorcerer like she was. Maybe the people here had killed him like the people of Sunnydale had tried to do to her not long ago. It did not cross Willow's mind that the angry mob that had nearly burnt her alive had itself been under a spell.  
  
As she wondered about the buried man's fate, Willow laid her hand upon the cold stone and brushed some of the dust off. Hidden under the thick layer of dust was the broken shaft of an arrow. Willow flinched when she touched the rotting wood, which felt too much like flesh, and knocked the arrow to the ground. It landed with a dull thud.  
  
Elenya spun with her sword raised, and caught herself just in time to avoid decapitating the redhead. "Willow! What are you doing?"  
  
"I just wanted to see what the big deal was," Willow mumbled defensively as she licked a small cut on her finger. The tiny, yet still sharp, remnant of the arrowhead had scraped her skin a little. "No harm done," she added with a sheepish grin.  
  
"This is no place for games. You should have - " Elenya broke off and suddenly grabbed Willow's shoulder, pulling her out of the way just before a clawed hand tore open her throat. The corpse had risen to its feet, unnoticed by all owing to the unnatural silence of its movements.   
  
The ancient thing, imprisoned for unknown centuries, had been stirred in its slumber by the light and whispers and brought fully awake by the smell of blood in the air. Now it hungered for the one thing that could sustain it and make it strong again.  
  
Howling as best it could with lungs that had been dry as dust for three thousand years the ancient vampire lunged at Willow. It could not see her, for its eyes had been cut out long ago, but it could smell her blood and that was all it needed. It shrieked and spread wide its wings, leathery and brown like a bat, but stretching twenty feet from end to end.  
  
"Back! Back to the light!" Elenya cried, shoving Willow in the direction of the doors. She swung her torch at the vampire, hoping that would drive it back. But as soon as the flame hit the beast's crumbling black armor, it went out with a hiss. Buffy's torch was the only light now, and Elenya was between it and the blood-drinker.  
  
Elenya thrust the useless torch, trying to pierce the armor, but it was still too strong for wood to penetrate. The tip of the torch shattered and Elenya tossed it aside.   
  
"Run, Willow!" Buffy yelled. She slashed at the vampire, succeeding only in denting that black armor. "Now!"  
  
Willow shook her head. She tried to make a break for it, but stumbled and fell flat on her back. She was about to invoke a fire spell when Buffy screamed "RUN!", grabbed her by the shoulder and hurled her towards the door. Willow landed hard against the cold steel and sat there in a daze as the fight went on.  
  
The vampire, having momentarily lost the scent of fresh blood, turned towards its attackers. They reeked of fresh air and sunshine, things it had grown to hate in all the long centuries of its imprisonment, and above all else, their spirits blazed with the blinding, burning light of the Sun-bitch. Screeching, it came at them with dizzying speed and was only barely turned aside by Elenya's blade. Claws flashed in the darkness and were met by steel, again and again, until sparks rained down on the stone floor.  
  
While Elenya and the vampire whirled about, faster than Buffy's eye could really follow, the younger Slayer hadn't been idle. She grabbed Elenya's torch and frantically whittled it to a sharp point with her sword. When it was sharp, or sharp enough, she yelled a warning cry and jumped onto the vampire's back. Gripping its neck with one arm and with her legs wrapped around its stomach for balance, she plunged her other arm down with all her might. But it was for naught - the stake broke in her hand with a jolt so hard it knocked Buffy clean off the vampire.  
  
"Owww." Buffy shook her head a few times to clear it, then jumped to her feet. Elenya was right. Vampires here were beyond nightmares. The Master had nothing on this guy. And Elenya had moves like she could only imagine. But she had to do *something*.  
  
Buffy looked around quickly. Nothing to use as a weapon - wait, no! She smiled grimly and scrambled across the room.  
  
While Buffy carried out her task, Elenya did her best to avoid being disemboweled by the vampire. It was all she could do to stay away from those claws. There was no chance of going to the offense. And Elenya knew that she would get tired long before it did.  
  
She had just about resigned herself to defeat and a painful death when there was a sudden "Hey, suck-face!" from off to the side. Both combatants turned. Elenya laughed, the vampire got a face full of chain. Buffy laughed and whipped the chain back, then swung it out again. "Catch!"  
  
Elenya nodded and grabbed the loose end of the chain when it came near. She pulled it taut, pinning the vampire's arms and wings to its chest. For a moment, it stood there, trapped and howling impotently then it snarled and pushed its arms outward. The chain snapped and both Slayers stumbled away.  
  
"Aw, come on," Buffy muttered. She rubbed away the blood from a small cut on her forehead then gasped as the vampire's hand closed around her throat. Cold claws pricked her skin and it became hard to breathe.  
  
"Elbereth! Arien!"   
  
Elenya tackled the vampire like she was a linebacker and somehow managed to pull it away from Buffy. Slayer and vampire both slammed into the back wall of the chamber, but before the ancient beast could regain its footing, Elenya cried "Arien!" again and thrust her sword at it. The blade, which was glowing softly with an inner fire, cut through armor and dead flesh alike as if through butter, and sank several inches into the stone wall. Impaled and stuck fast, the vampire howled as its innards began to burn from the purifying fire of the gleaming blade.  
  
"Die, you worm," Elenya snarled, pushing her sword in until the handguard was pressing into the vampire's armor. It shrieked and flailed, nearly taking Elenya's head off before she had the sense to duck back, but after a few seconds, it relaxed and grabbed the hilt and began to pull it out.  
  
Elenya staggered back. All that and it was STILL alive.  
  
"Close your eyes," Buffy whispered. "Beddy-bye time." She laughed at the puzzled look on the vampire's face just before she split it in two with a solid slash of her sword. Then she ended its existence with a quick follow-up stroke that neatly separated the vampire's head from its neck. It let out one last unearthly howl then crumbled into dust. The armor remained, holding up a set of black, twisted bones - for a moment, anyway, until armor and bones alike faded into dust and blew away in a sudden breeze.  
  
"Are all vampires like that around here?" Buffy asked after a respectful silence.  
  
Elenya shrugged. "I've only met two. Who can say? It's dead, at any rate," she said. [And you are avenged, sister,] she thought, looking over at the skeleton of the dead Slayer.  
  
"Yeah. That was a cool spell you did," Willow said, slowly coming back to coherence after her nasty encounter with the door.   
  
"It wasn't a spell, it was a prayer," Elenya muttered scornfully as she tried to pry her sword out of the wall. No luck - it was stuck in the stone. After a few tries, she gave up with a disgusted grunt. "And next time, listen when someone tells you to stay behind." She glared at Willow then brushed past her. Buffy followed a moment later, and thus missed the look of pure anger that Willow gave the two Slayers.  
  
End Chapter 7  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	8. Meet The (Silvan) Elves

Chapter 8 - "Meet The (Silvan) Elves"  
  
-   
  
They remained in the cave well into the next day, hiding in the dim light of their torches. On Elenya's insistence, they laid the bodies of the fallen Slayer and her comrades down and covered them with what stones they could find. Elenya carved something in Elf-runes above the head of the Slayer and murmured what sounded like a prayer, although the only word Buffy recognized was 'Arien' - Elenya's god, she assumed.  
  
Then, when it was finally clear the Orcs had given up the hunt and moved on, the companions made ready and set out once again.  
  
Elenya emerged first, cautiously checking the area around the cave until she was sure it was safe then the others came out one by one. There was no sign of the Orcs anywhere; a mixed blessing as far as everyone was concerned - where had they gone? Nobody believed they had seen the last sign of them, or their mysterious leader. But they were decidedly unwilling to stay around and wait for the Orcs to return.  
  
They made for Lothlorien at a breakneck pace, stopping only when absolutely necessary and even then only for the shortest of times. Even then, it was many weeks before they awoke one morning and smelled a sweet fragrance in the air.  
  
"We're not far now," Elenya said, a dreamy look on her face as she mounted Aratar. "If we ride swiftly, we may reach the Golden Wood before noon."  
  
Sure enough, long before the sun had reached its zenith, they saw a wall of green and gold on the horizon. All five riders halted for a moment to take in the beauty of the sight. It was like Rivendell writ large, and more - words could not capture even a hint of the magnificence that was Lothlorien even in its twilight. Just seeing the mallorn trees with their crowns of gold eased a little bit of their saddle sores.  
  
Buffy breathed in the lingering scent of elanor flowers in full bloom. "This place can't be real. So much for your 'Earth did not begin as a paradise' junk, huh, Giles?" she asked with a grin.  
  
"Yes, well." Giles cleared his throat. "The Council is not infallible, Buffy."  
  
"Yeah, tell me about it." Buffy shrugged. It was too beautiful a day to worry about those stupid little geeks back in London. "C'mon. I wanna meet the Elves."  
  
Even at a full gallop, it took the better part of an hour before they drew near to the trees. As they did, the feeling of peace and tranquility increased. Later on, Buffy would recall it as like riding right into a dream.  
  
"This place is kinda creepy," Buffy remarked as they horses slowly walked along through the dead quiet woods of Lothlorien. She had the distinct feeling they were being watched - by who or what, she didn't know. The only sound being the hooves of horses crunching twigs and grass didn't ease her any.  
  
Willow gripped her reins tightly, her eyes nervously darting around. The others were creeped out, but she was downright uncomfortable here.  
  
"Hey there, Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are lookin' good, you're everything a big bad wolf could want," Xander softly sang, his voice shaking just a bit as he scanned the trees. "Little Red Riding Hood, I don't think little big girls should ... go walkin' in these spooky old woods alone ..."  
  
Buffy looked over to Xander beside her, smiling, and trying not to laugh aloud. Trust him to lighten the mood.  
  
As they progressed, Xander loosened up a bit, his shoulders relaxed and he sang a little louder. "What big eyes you have ... the kind of eyes that drive wolves mad. So just to see that you don't get chased ... I think I ought to walk with you for a ways. What full lips you have ... they're sure to lure someone bad. So until you get to grandma's place ... I think you ought to walk with me and -"  
  
His singing abruptly ceased and he motioned ahead of them.   
  
Buffy nodded. She saw them.  
  
By now familiar and somehow expected was the line of mounted Elves waiting just beyond a small silver stream. There were a dozen, none of whom were armed, and in the forefront were two tall, exceedingly beautiful Elves, a man and a woman in regal robes. The man had blue robes, but the woman had a long lavender robe and a silver circlet atop her brow. She raised her hand in greeting.  
  
Elenya did likewise as Aratar came to a halt without any prompting from his rider. "Hail, Lady. I beg your leave to enter Lothlorien with my companions."  
  
"You are known to us, Elenya, but your companions are not," the Elf addressed as 'Lady' replied in a musical voice. "Strangers may not enter this land, so let them announce themselves."  
  
Elenya nodded and gestured for the others to do so.  
  
"Buffy Summers of Sunnydale," Buffy stammered, and then tried to curtsy from atop her horse. It seemed the most appropriate response to someone who fairly radiated royalty and grace. In turn, the Lady smiled serenely and bowed her head slightly in Buffy's direction.  
  
"Rupert Giles, milady."   
  
"Xander Harris. Uh, I mean, Alexander Harris. Milady," Xander said, trying hard to keep his jaw from dropping. This Elf woman was just as beautiful as Arwen and looking into her eyes was like staring down a deep well or up into the night sky - there didn't seem to be an end to it. He flushed and turned away after a few seconds.  
  
"Willow Rosenberg," Willow mumbled, avoiding the Elf's piercing gaze and knowing smile - or smirk, as Willow saw it.  
  
"And I am the Lady Galadriel. This is the Lord Celeborn," Galadriel said, inclining her head towards the Elf in the blue robes. "We had word from Rivendell that you were traveling in this direction. It is good that you arrived. Not unharmed, perhaps, but undaunted. But come! You are weary, no doubt. My maidens will show you to a place to rest. Later we shall feast together and share our wisdom about your problems." She beckoned them forward, and then she and Celeborn turned and disappeared into the depths of the forest.  
  
"A place to rest?" Xander whispered, leaning towards Giles as they followed the Elven women on foot. "Where? Nothin' but trees." He sighed when Giles shushed him. "I'm only saying."  
  
Elenya glanced at Buffy, smiling a little when she noticed the enthralled expression on the young Slayer's face. "Such modest accommodations compared to Rivendell," she commented. "Comfortable, nonetheless."  
  
"I don't know about modest," Buffy replied, shaking her head. "If this is modest, you guys raise the bar pretty high." She watched the other inhabitants of the Lothlorien woods and Galadriel's forest city walk by. Some regarded the strangers with curious stares, while others simply went about their business, paying little mind to them.  
  
-  
  
Once the guests were settled into their respective quarters, the four strangers to the land didn't rest. Lothlorien was a place unlike any other they'd visited, like Rivendell at heart but so different on the surface. It demanded attention. Elenya, on the other hand, disappeared, wandering away into the woods outside of the main city. The others were protected here and they no longer required her watchful gaze. Responsibilities weighed heavy on her in recent weeks - she had to clear her mind away from the others, and no better place than in the quiet groves on the banks of the Celebrant.  
  
"They're expecting us to sleep in trees," Xander said as Buffy descended the stairway that led up to the "rooms" they would share. He looked to Giles. "I'm not that keen on heights. Never have been. I can't sleep in a tree. Can't we just ask them to pitch a tent down here on the nice, safe ground?"  
  
"You'll be fine, Xander," Buffy assured him. "Besides, we're just going to sleep up there."  
  
"What if I roll off? What if I sleepwalk?" He grabbed her by the upper arms. "I could fall to my death. Wouldn't that just be the way I'd go? Survive Orcs and weird vampires and Hobbits for what? To fall out of a friggin' tree." He let go of her when he realized he gripped her a little too tightly. "Sorry," he apologized then sighed. "I'm overreacting. I mean, my cousin had a tree house. It's like that. Yeah. Like a tree house - a two hundred foot tall tree house with no real walls."   
  
Buffy only smiled then patted him on the shoulder. "Why don't you go check on Willow?" She looked over her shoulder. The redhead was by herself, away from the rest of them, like she'd been for a long time lately. After the mess near the Misty Mountains, Buffy, Giles and Xander decided against taking the ring from Willow. Mainly because she'd not used her magick so much since then; just a minor fire spell to light the wood for the campfire one evening. She was still uncommonly withdrawn but a little more personable than before. Perhaps whatever it was had passed. That was Buffy's hope, at least.  
  
"Sure, I'll go check on her." Xander headed over to the girl, muttering something under his breath at the same time.  
  
Willow leaned against the tree, her fingers tugging at the ring on her finger. For some reason, she wasn't able to get it off. Not that she necessarily wanted it off, but for the last two weeks, she couldn't remove it from her hand. The grip was almost vise-like, even she felt no pain as a result of her efforts to pry it off.  
  
At any rate, even if Buffy and the others wanted to take it from her, they wouldn't be able to. Yet, Willow gave them no reason to want to try. Since the Misty Mountains, she'd decided to heed the advice of her dream guardians. She would keep her friends close and her enemies closer. Give them nothing to be suspicious about, continue on as though she wasn't onto their game and that would give her the advantage. It'd worked so far - they'd stopped bothering her about the ring.  
  
"Will?"  
  
Willow jerked a little and her hands dropped down to her sides as she casually leaned against the tree. She gazed out at the open forest before her, pretending as though nothing was amiss. "Oh, Xander, hi," she greeted, forcing a smile as he came up beside her. "How are the rooms here? Mints on the pillows?"  
  
"No, not quite," he answered. He folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not so sure about this tree sleeping arrangement deal. These Lothlorien Elves are ultra-creepy, but not in a bad way. They're just ... so different from the ones in Rivendell." He shook his head, sighing. "Beyond the whole 'let's sleep in trees instead of houses' deal, too. Did you get a weird vibe off that Galadriel woman or was that just me?"  
  
She shrugged. In truth, Galadriel scared her. She could sense the Elf Lady had a core of inner power hidden behind her courtly grace. But she wasn't going to admit that to anybody, even Xander. "Yeah, sorta. But I suppose Elves just give off weird vibes like that. We're talking about beings that are millennia old." She looked up to him. "Still - I'm a little wary of them. Remember Frodo telling the stories about the Lothlorien woods and that Elf witch?"  
  
"Well, yeah, but those are just stories, Willow. I don't think she's going to put a spell on us and make us slaves, she's just ... different."  
  
"Yeah," Willow softly said as she let her gaze drop to the ground. She bit her lower lip. Galadriel was already suspicious of her - what was it about her ring that made these Elves so interested in it? Did they know what kind of power it held? Was it a ring of power, like the one Bilbo had then passed on to Frodo? She gazed at her hand, the ring shimmering in the afternoon sunlight that streamed through the trees.  
  
"I'm beginning to wonder if Buffy's not right," Xander said, breaking the silence between them. He let his gaze travel around the woods, he took in the Elves going about their daily duties then he sighed heavily. "Maybe we're never going to get home. Maybe we're going to be doomed to the live out our futures in the past." He paused then met Willow's gaze. "We'll never be who we were again."  
  
She averted her gaze then swallowed. He was right about one thing - they never would be the same. It took this adventure to open her eyes to what sort of people Buffy, Giles and Xander really were; jealous, envious and conniving back-stabbers - a bunch of plotting Judases. The sooner they returned to Sunnydale, the better. She would never have to speak to them again. Ever.  
  
"I'm ... I'm going to take a nap before we see this Galadriel again," she said. Without waiting for his response, Willow hurried along for the stairway that led up to their temporary quarters.  
  
-  
  
Giles strolled along the cut pathways through the woods, his attention on every detail. The longer they remained in Middle-earth, the more adjusted he became to the idea this was all real - the Elves, the land, everything. He drew to a halt when he and Buffy reached a small, gurgling stream. He took in a deep breath, feeling at ease just as he had in Rivendell. The abodes of Elves had the strangest calming effect on human nerves.  
  
"Pretty neat, isn't it?" Buffy remarked as she looked up to Giles while taking a seat on a fallen log. She gazed across the crystal clear stream, wondering if more of this beauty lay on the other side. "These Elves really know how to live. If we get stuck here, I'm definitely investing in some Elven real estate. Maybe something in Rivendell, though, I'm not into all this nature."  
  
Giles sat down on the other end of the log, nodding a little. "It's quite a place," he agreed. "I never imagined it could be so enchanting." He folded his hands together then rested his elbows on his knees, and his expression became more solemn. "Yet it is difficult for me to enjoy it as you do."  
  
She raised an eyebrow. For the last few weeks, Giles had been uncharacteristically quiet. He'd spent a great deal of his time talking to Elenya as well. At first, she'd thought he'd taken a personal interest in the Slayer, which was true enough, but it was much more than that.  
  
"Okay, Giles," she said as she turned towards him. "You've been holding out on us about this place from day one. I want to know what you know. What it is about this past that bothers you so much?"  
  
Giles paused for a moment then let his gaze drop to the ground in front of him. "I wouldn't say it particularly bothers me, Buffy. Though, I must say, adjusting to this drastically different past, so different from what I thought was -" He fell silent, shaking his head. "I'm beginning to question everything. What's real, what isn't?"  
  
She shrugged. "I would too, Giles. If the Council fibbed about the origins of the world, there's no telling what else they've lied about. Elenya's been a Slayer for fifteen years, fighting monsters and creatures I could never take alone. I can't help but think -" She stopped as her thought fully hit her. She blinked and her voice dropped to a quieter tone. " - I can't help but think that the Council of old actually feared the Slayer rather than considered her a weapon."  
  
Giles lifted his head. "What do you mean, feared her? As if the Slayer might become what Faith did?"  
  
"No, that's not really what I mean. Look at how much of a chokehold they had on us, Giles. I almost died because of them and for what?"   
  
"Flaws aside, Buffy, the Council does have noble and honorable intentions. As for Elenya's prolonged survival in this world, I attribute more of that to surroundings than to actual skill."  
  
The Slayer's brow furrowed. "Okay, what's that supposed to mean?"  
  
He sat up straight and turned towards her. "Consider for a moment where we are." He paused to allow her to do so.  
  
She looked around the golden woods then, rather uncertain, said, "Yeah. So?"  
  
"In our own time, no one would believe in such a place. Or in beings such as Elves," Giles explained. He saw a flicker in Buffy's eyes as she began to see where he went with this. "These things are resigned to myths, legends and the like yet, in this time, this place -"  
  
"Everyone believes in it," Buffy finished for him as she wagged a finger at Giles. She nodded a few times as she thought about it. "Yeah, I get what you mean now."  
  
"In 1999, people have accepted this - " He gestured to their surroundings. " - as a flight of fancy. A select few battle evils in our own time because that select few accepts the existence of such things. The Slayer, the Council, Xander, Willow, a few others."  
  
"Okay, so you're saying I'm the better Slayer because not everyone in our time period is kicking vampire and demon ass?" She frowned slightly as she looked away from him. "I don't see how that's possible. It took the both of us to kill one vampire." Her gaze flicked back to him. "Which reminds me - why are all the vampires and stuff in our own time so - so much different than now?"  
  
"A sort of supernatural evolution?" suggested Giles with a shrug. "All beings must adapt to their surroundings with the passage of time in order to survive. Also, despite the conflict of reality and the version of history the Council promotes, I've no doubt that alternate demon dimensions exist. Perhaps some of these creatures simply moved into one of them at some point in the time line."  
  
Buffy sighed. "Yeah. I guess I could buy that." She looked over to Giles and noticed that expression on his face again. "Xander and I have been wondering about something. For not knowing about this past, you seem to know an awful lot about it. The way you reacted way back in the Shire when Gandalf started telling us things. You immediately knew what had happened to us. How?"  
  
Giles removed his glasses, massaged the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger then rested his elbows on his knees once more. "Many years ago, when I first became a Watcher, I stumbled upon a tattered text in the Council vaults," he began. He paused as he went back to the time in his mind, remembering what it was like to be part of the organization before he knew of its darker side. "The Red Book of Westmarch, it was called."  
  
"Red Book of Westmarch? What was in it? Recipes?"  
  
"No." He toyed with his glasses, folding and unfolding them. "It's a collection of fables. No more valid than the Bible or Grimm's Fairy Tales. Er... at least, that's what we believed." He placed his glasses back on then looked over to her. "Very little survived intact - the Red Book is incredibly ancient. And what did survive was of little use to us. General information about this time period - names, dates, places - and no one ever thought any more of it. The Council had their version of history and I suppose it worked for them."  
  
"This was in a book?" She pointed to the ground, indicating she meant all of Middle-Earth. After he nodded, she sat back. "You couldn't tell us this right off? Why all of the secrecy?"  
  
"I had to be certain. Also, a few other things were mentioned." He drew silent once more. Names such as Sauron, Gandalf and the Ring-bearers Frodo and Bilbo Baggins were among the information contained in the text. However, he kept that to himself. She knew enough to get them through this. He looked over to her. "And I wasn't the only one keeping quiet, either."  
  
Buffy shrank a bit, embarrassed. "Look, Giles, like I said - I didn't want to bother you with the dream stuff. We have enough problems as it is. Besides, I think we lost that guy anyway. No way he'd come in here and mess with us." She saw the look on his face then she let out a frustrated breath. "I'm sorry, okay? If I have any other weird dreams, I'll let you know. For the record, I didn't see Elenya speaking up about it either."  
  
"I'm not Elenya's Watcher." He moved closer to the young Slayer, his expression softening. "Promise me, Buffy, that you'll never again keep something as vital as that a secret from me. No matter what the present situation may be."  
  
She nodded a little. "I promise, Giles. I won't keep anything else a secret."  
  
"Good." He gave her a hug that she returned. "We'll get through this if we stick together, Buffy. We're going to get home."  
  
"I hope you're right," Buffy replied, her voice muffled by Giles's shoulder. [God, you don't know how much I hope you're right.]  
  
-  
  
"Willow."  
  
The sound of Frodo's whispering voice drew Willow out of her sleep. Slowly, her eyes drifted open and she found the younger Hobbit crouched down in front of her; he was visibly uneasy. He shook her shoulder once more and said her name a little louder.  
  
"I'm awake," she told him as she sat up. Not really awake, but awake in the dream state she was always in when they would visit her. One hand propped her up and she tilted her head to the side, a frown crossing her face. "What's the matter? You don't look very good, Frodo." Her eyes were drawn in the direction he gazed. That reddish glow was stronger than ever now and was nearly due south of the woods.  
  
She blinked a few times when she finally noticed how dark the Lothlorien woods were. In the real world, it glowed and glimmered like gold - but now, everything had a dark shadow over it. All the dreams were dark like this, but in Lorien, it felt strange - almost as though it was alive and uncomfortable about being there. Never had she feared the shadow in the dreams, it soothed her soul and set her mind at ease.  
  
"Come with me," he said as he took Willow by the hand, gaining her attention once more. "We are watched in these lands, I haven't much time to speak with you." He stood, giving Willow's hand a tug until she, too, rose to her feet. "The Elves of Lothlorien are not friends, Willow. Do not allow yourself to be fooled by them."  
  
Willow nodded slowly as she let Frodo lead her down the stairway and out of the tree. "They're freaky," she commented. "I don't like them. The head Elf lady gives me a serious case of wiggins. When we met her earlier, I ... I felt like she was inside my mind."   
  
They reached the end of the stairs and Willow fell silent as she looked around. The woods were drenched in blackness. No light, no Elves, no one was in the Elven "city" except her and Frodo. She looked down at her free hand. The only illumination in the dark was the glittering of her magick ring.  
  
"She is an Elf-witch. Beware, Willow," Frodo continued as he led her through the woods, away from the dead city. "She will work her spells on your mind, make you believe things that are not true."  
  
Willow looked down at her small guide as she followed him where he led without question. "What do you mean? What sort of things will she say?" She would be prepared for her next encounter with Galadriel - no Elf-witch would fool her; that was certain.   
  
Her hand gripped tightly to Frodo's, she was almost afraid to let go of him. He and Bilbo were the only ones she could trust. The power of the Rings the Hobbits and Willow bore mystically connected them - only one bearer could trust another. They'd not steered her wrong yet, either. If not for them, she wouldn't have seen Buffy, Xander and Giles for their true selves. She owed them for opening her eyes.  
  
"Endless lies," Frodo replied, never taking his eyes off the unseen path ahead of them. "Elves are not as pious as they would have you think. They, too, have their darker side. You mustn't believe a word she tells you, Willow."  
  
Willow stumbled along in the dark behind him, nodding. "Okay, I trust you," she replied. She nearly tripped on a stone. "Where are you taking me, anyway?" She noticed the red light grew brighter as she followed Frodo's lead. She glanced over her shoulder - the Elven city in Lothlorien was no longer visible. Yet, she wasn't scared.  
  
"You haven't any worries," he answered. He kept going, leading her farther away and deeper into the woods. The red glow became brighter and brighter, however. "The more distance we put between us and them, it is all the better."  
  
Soon, they reached a small clearing. The dream Hobbit let go of Willow's hand and turned to face her.  
  
"What are we doing out here?" Willow inquired as she looked around. There was another presence here; it was very distinct. She looked down at her hand when she noticed the piece of finely crafted jewelry glowed. "I didn't mention it the last time I saw you," she started then she looked to him. "The ring - it's stuck on my finger." She held it up so he could see. "Why is that?"  
  
"The more you use it, the more it becomes a part of you. And the stronger our connection grows. Do you not feel it?"  
  
She paused before nodding, and said, "I do, now that you bring it up." Only in her dreams did she feel totally safe and at ease these days. The two Hobbits kept her well informed and provided her with company during the night. Yes, she did feel more linked with them than any other beings in Middle-earth, including her so-called friends.  
  
"You're quite safe." He offered a smile to her. He turned, his smile quickly faded. "I brought you here to show you something." He pointed to the South, drawing her attention to the figures in the field. "You should recognize them, I think."  
  
Willow narrowed her gaze. "It's ... it's us. I mean, Buffy, Giles, Xander and me. What's this about?" When the Hobbit didn't answer her query, she concentrated on the scene playing out before her. The three of them argued with the dream version of Willow - they wanted to take the ring from her. The confrontation was turning for the worse when Willow refused to relinquish her treasure. "I don't understand. Is this the future?"  
  
"Shh." Frodo directed her attention back to the scene. "Take heed."  
  
Willow gasped when Buffy drew her sword and advanced on the dream Willow. "Oh my God," she murmured, her hand flying to her mouth. She shook her head from side to side, her eyes wide in disbelief. This couldn't be the future. Sure, the others were jealous of her, but to go so far as to kill her? She blinked and her hand dropped to her side. "They're ... they're ... they wouldn't." She looked down at Frodo. "Tell me this isn't the future. This won't happen."  
  
"It is only a possible future, Willow," Frodo assured her. He crossed around behind her, never taking his eyes off the girl. "You have the power to change futures. This can happen -" He nodded in the direction of the four figures. "- but you can prevent it. You are able to safeguard yourself against it."  
  
Willow shook her head again, not quite clear where Frodo was going with this. She lowered her gaze to him; she saw that serious expression he wore. "Prevent it? How do I prevent it from happening? Other than giving up the ring, which I won't do, there isn't a way to prevent it." She watched as the Hobbit continued to circle her, almost like an animal would a piece of prey. "You have to tell me what to do."  
  
He settled himself in front of her, stared straight into her eyes for a moment before he replied, "You already know the answer, Willow. You do not need me to tell you what you must do."  
  
Willow gazed down at him as she tried to think of the answer. [What could he mean? There aren't many ways to prevent this from happening. I mean, unless I -] Her eyes grew wider as the reality struck her. Frodo nodded solemnly when Willow flicked her eyes back to him. "You ... you want me to kill them?" she asked almost in a whisper. "I - I don't think I could ... "  
  
She started to back away from him but he grabbed her hand, stopping her. "You must, if you expect to survive," he said. "This isn't of your making, Willow, you are not responsible for the feelings of others, of those who claimed to be friends. You have power which they can only dream of and they will take it from you, kill you for it, you must strike them first."  
  
Willow lowered her gaze to their clasped hands. She felt safe. And as she considered his words, the more she knew Frodo was right. The memory of Giles's threat back at the pass in the Misty Mountains - he was furious enough to kill. She wouldn't put it past him - him and his Ripper reputation. Then Buffy - She could easily go the Faith route, and Xander would follow whatever lead she offered.   
  
Her eyes half closed as she felt a blanket of comforting warmth wrap itself around her. [Yes, Willow, you'll have to protect yourself,] she thought. Her eyes opened fully again and she sighed. Deep inside, it saddened her to think things had deteriorated to this point between them. She was forced to do something that she never believed herself to be capable of because of it.  
  
"I guess you're right," she finally said. Her attention shifted away from him, towards the origin of the red glow in the South. "Are you ever going to tell me what that is, Frodo?" she asked, nodding towards the light. "It's always with us."  
  
"It is the power that binds us," he answered. "That is all you need to know." He turned suddenly and stood completely still as if listening for something. "My time here is done. I must go," he told her as he faced her once more. "Remember - believe nothing the Elf-witch tells you."  
  
She nodded a little. "I won't. I only believe you." She let go of his hand against her will.  
  
As soon as their hands parted, Willow felt her body drawn backwards, back to the city in Lothlorien. The protective force that had enveloped her in the dream remained as she slowly awoke from her sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open and she pushed herself up from the floor, yawning. Evening drew near - the sun had moved quite a bit in the sky since she'd laid down to rest.   
  
Rubbing her eyes with her fingers, she yawned, and she stretched her arms over her head. Frodo's warnings emerged in her conscious mind as she dropped her arms back down. The Elf-witch would lie to her. And the others would kill her, if she didn't do something about them first. She bit her lower lip, frowning. She didn't know if she'd be able to follow through with it, though. Then again, maybe she wouldn't have to. He'd said it was only a possible future.  
  
"Willow?" Buffy softly said as she entered the flet. She was uneasy as she approached her friend. Willow had been muttering in that weird foreign language in her sleep again. Plus, that look in the redhead's eyes didn't comfort her any. "Are you feeling all right?"  
  
Willow stood up quickly. She nodded, and then noted the quiver of arrows Buffy had slung over her shoulder. "Yes. I feel just fine," she replied. She met Buffy's gaze. Flashes of the dream hit her - she saw the dream Buffy draw the sword and advance on the dream version of herself. She blinked rapidly. "I needed some sleep. We've been traveling relentlessly the last few days."  
  
Buffy nodded. "Yeah, we have. Look, I think this big gathering's about to happen with this Elf lady. Giles sent me up to get you." She paused. Willow seemed more jittery than usual. Hopefully these Elves would know what to do so they could get home. Willow's behavior was increasingly erratic and frightening. "So, um, yeah. We should get going, then, okay?"  
  
"Oh, yes, of course. Let's go." Willow gestured for Buffy to go first. As she followed the Slayer down, her eyes burrowed into the back of her head. [I could push her off. It would be easy to say it was an accident, right?] She placed a hand to her temple, blinking a few times as she let the murderous thoughts pass away. [God, what am I thinking? How can I protect myself without killing them?]  
  
[You can't, Willow.]  
  
-  
  
The feast was both more and less regal than that on the last evening in Rivendell. Less in that it was certainly more rustic, or perhaps more humble, than the marble and mosaics of Elrond's house. But more regal, too, in part because of the presence of so many noble Elves, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel chief among them, and in part because of the hallowed ground on which they sat, the very heart of the blessed realm of Lothlorien.  
  
The Elves, though, were discontent. Their faces were grave and they spoke long and grimly in their own language, which only Elenya of all the Men present understood and she only in part. After a time, they realized their guests' confusion and once again spoke in the language of Man.  
  
"Forgive us," Lord Celeborn said. "It has been many years since we have supped with any but other Elves. But there was a shadow over Lothlorien as there has not been in a long age."  
  
"Even so, we should not forsake our guests," the Lady Galadriel added. "They have traveled long roads to reach this land. As for that matter." She rose up, gave her leave to the other Elves, and, beckoning the visitors, departed from the hilltop. They followed her through the forest until they came to a small clearing lit only by the stars.  
  
There, Galadriel stopped and turned to them. "Now, let us speak of that in privacy. I alone of all the Galadhrim know of Darius of Londinium and his strange doom. Long years ago, at least in the reckoning of Men, did he come and go on his way."  
  
"So he was from our time?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I don't imagine he was," Giles said before Galadriel could respond. "Londinium is the ancient Latin name for London. It hasn't been used for some fifteen centuries."  
  
"As I thought. His manners were greatly different from your own, and more akin to those of the Men of this age." She smiled, but sadly. "When he came here, driven by what whim or will I do not know, Darius had little grip on his wits. He ranted and raved for many days, for even all my healing arts were slow to tend his wounds of mind and body. In time, though, he returned from the strange realms of his delirium."  
  
Pausing in her tale, she walked over to the bank of a small stream and stared down at the crystalline waters. "It was here, on this very spot, that he told me and Celeborn, and Arwen our granddaughter, of the voyage that brought him to Middle-Earth. It was long and not relevant to your plight, I think. Suffice to say that strange sorcery carried Darius and his fellows, for many men came with him across the mists of time, from his age to ours."  
  
"What kinda sorcery?" Willow asked then looked down when Galadriel glanced at her.  
  
"I know not. It seems that some things, at least, have grown and not diminished between this time and yours. Magic that only the Powers of Valinor can wield now is commonplace in your world, I think. The ways by which he came here are a mystery to me, as are the ways by which he returned. Or at least, that is my hope. I know not his final fate."  
  
Giles frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"  
  
"When he had recovered well and truly, I sent him from this place. Not mindlessly or cruelly, but to find his way home. For it came to me in a dream that there is but one alone in all of Middle-Earth who could show him the path. The Wizard Pallando, of the same order as Gandalf whom you know, sees farther and clearer than any save the Valar themselves."  
  
"Another Wizard? Great. The last one wasn't really helpful, you know," Xander said, breaking his reluctance to question Galadriel.   
  
"Question not Gandalf. He bears many burdens of which he cannot speak," Galadriel chided gently. "As do I. But in this matter, I can say that the end is in sight. All has come together to bring you to the end, for good or ill. You were brought first to one who knew the truth of what you said, and then, by a long road, to me, who knows where you must now go. And you have one with you who can guide you safely along the last leg of your travels. This is not mere chance." Her eyes seemed to reflect the bright stars above for a moment. "Not all of your allies can be seen. Take comfort in that, and in the strength of your hearts, and none of you will fall when the moment of truth comes."  
  
She lowered her head and smiled again - the light was gone from her eyes. "Now, let us rest. In the morning, I shall set you on the way."  
  
[Great, lotta help she was. Just like Frodo said,] Willow thought as they left the clearing.  
-  
  
End Chapter 8  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	9. Reality of Dreams

Chapter 9 -  
  
-  
  
Chapter 9 - "Reality of Dreams"  
  
-  
  
When the moon had risen and set, Buffy arose and found herself sitting on a hill surrounded by a light mist. The sky was black but lit by a thousand dazzling stars. She smiled up at them for a moment then turned when she sensed someone approaching through the mist. Buffy wasn't the least bit surprised to see Galadriel emerge and silently approach her.   
  
"Hey," Buffy said. Then - "This is a dream, isn't it?"  
  
The Elf lady nodded. "In a way. But you know dreams are rarely meaningless."  
  
"Yeah... for me, they're mostly freaky. And lacking in the sense, too," Buffy said with a shrug. "For me."  
  
"You still see yourself in Elenya's shadow."  
  
"Well, duh." Buffy blushed, she realized that that probably wasn't the right way to speak to an immortal Elf lady. "I mean, yes, but why not? She's a way better Slayer than I am. It'd be stupid to deny that, ya know?"  
  
"Perhaps. But perhaps you are considering the situation from the wrong angle."  
  
Buffy frowned up at Galadriel. "What do you mean?"  
  
"It is true that Elenya is a more powerful Slayer than you. But it is likewise true that she has been the Champion for many, many more years than you. Give it time. More importantly, though, consider all you have accomplished in so short a time."  
  
"What? Like staking a buncha dinky vampires?"  
  
"I have looked into your heart, Buffy. I know the deeds you have accomplished. Truly, they are the equal of even the greatest heroes of any age, Elf or Man alike." Galadriel smiled fondly at the young Slayer. "You have saved the world many times, have you not? Why then do you think yourself any less than Elenya?"  
  
"Well, yeah, but she's - "  
  
"What you may yet become. Think of that and remember that deeds are what matters in the end, not skill in arms," Galadriel said with one last smile. Then the mist swallowed her up. An instant later, the dream ended and Buffy awoke with a slight gasp.  
  
She was still on the flet, the tree-branch platform, safe and sound. Xander was nearby, snoring away. Buffy smiled over at his sleeping form, then laid her head down and was soon lost in slumber once again.  
  
-  
  
Elsewhere, Giles opened his eyes to the sound of a waterfall. He looked around and quickly realized he was in a distant corner of Lothlorien, perhaps near to where Galadriel had spoken to them all after dinner.  
  
And he was not alone.  
  
"Lady," he said, bowing his head to Galadriel. She did likewise to him then turned back to her examination of the small waterfall off to Giles's left.   
  
"It's beautiful," Giles said when she said nothing for several minutes. He watched the water flow over the rocks and past a clump of grass sprinkled with tiny blue flowers. "Everything here is beautiful."  
  
"Most things, yes," Galadriel admitted. "A pale, dwindling reflection of the Undying Lands, lingering even as time passes by in the rest of the world. Lothlorien will not long survive the turning of the next age," she told Giles.   
  
"We have no record of it in my time. I'm sorry," the Watcher replied, genuinely remorseful. It wasn't fair that all of this should be lost forever. This was the ideal he had fought for all his life, even if he had not pictured it until now. But it was all for naught. The battle had been fought and lost before he had been born.  
  
Galadriel nodded slowly. "Walk with me, Rupert Giles." Her long gown trailing in her wake, Galadriel walked down a footpath that meandered into the woods off of the waterfall. After a few minutes, she stopped again at a stone basin under the shadow of a green cliff. The basin was full of water, slightly steaming in the cold night air.  
  
"Look into the water."  
  
"Why?" Giles asked. He'd heard plenty of stories about scrying bowls, few of which were good.   
  
"You need to see the entire truth," Galadriel replied. She gestured at the basin. "Look now and understand."  
  
With some lingering reluctance, Giles walked over to the basin and looked down into the waters. For a moment, he saw nothing, then an image formed in the bowl.   
  
A vast and dark fortress jutting out of a frozen wasteland, a thousand black towers raised in defiance of the heavens themselves, and an aura of dread over all that made Giles weak in the knees.   
  
[Hell itself,] he thought.   
  
The water rippled and the scene changed. A forest, much like Lothlorien, but overrun with hordes of foul Orcs and worse things - winged fire demons with whips of red-hot flame, dragons with black wings and burning eyes, and, worst of all, a towering figure in pitch-black armor wielding an adamant mace that shattered even the tallest trees as if they were toothpicks. Against that fell horde stood an army of Elves, but their ranks melted before the dark army and soon all were lost, and the trees set ablaze from horizon to horizon.  
  
Another ripple disturbed the water and another new scene. This one even worse - a coastal city with many pale ships drawn up to wooden piers, two groups of Elves fighting, one to defend the ships and the other to seize them. The attackers won and killed all their foes that did not flee.   
  
Again, the waters shimmered and a new image formed, of a lone Elf standing atop a cliff overlooking the sea. In his hand was a gem that glowed with a light so pure and fierce Giles could not look at it straight on. But then the Elf cried out and threw the beautiful jewel into the waters. It sank down, its light fading only gradually. When there was nothing but darkness, Giles realized he was weeping for its loss.  
  
"Enough," he said in a raspy whisper. " Please."  
  
"You have my sympathy, Master Giles. But you had to see."  
  
"Why? I don't even know what any of that was."  
  
"You need only know that this age, and all the others, are not the paradise you have begun to imagine them to be. In part, young Elenya has distorted the truth. Not intentionally," Galadriel said, raising a hand before Giles could object. "She knows only the legends of the elder days. I lived through them. I remember both their glories and their sorrows. Beautiful indeed were the forests of Beleriand ere the Dark Lord set flame and sword to them, but terrible were all the long days when he walked freely in Middle-Earth. Bitter was the sorrow when Elf first slew Elf on the quays of Alqualondë. And great was the grief of Maglor when his sins lead him to cast the last Silmaril into the deeps of the Ocean. Do you see?"  
  
"I - I think," Giles said, even if so much of what she said was a mystery to him. Beleriand? Alqualondë? Maglor?   
  
Galadriel smiled. "Think on it. Now, go and return to your rest. The journey ahead will be hard. Enjoy the comfort of Lothlorien whilst you can. Until the morning... farewell, Master Giles."  
  
He nodded and closed his eyes, and did not open them again until the morning sun was warm on his face.  
  
-  
  
While the others dreamed of Lady Galadriel, one of Willow's personal guardians visited her. She sensed his presence in her mind, in her dreamscape, even before he was fully there. She also knew it was Frodo - each of the Hobbits had a distinct "feel" to him. Bilbo reminded her of a parent. Or what a parent should've been like, considering hers barely noticed her.  
  
Slowly, her eyes opened and she sat up without uttering a single word. She noted the reddish glow had grown much stronger since her dream earlier in the day. The darkness covered Lothlorien like a blanket now, thick and unrelenting.  
  
Then he appeared. Frodo crossed the flet, knelt before Willow, looked deep into her eyes then asked, "You did not believe her, did you?"  
  
She shook her head from side to side as she gazed back into the innocent, young face. "No," she murmured. "I listened to her lies and double talk. She doesn't know anything." She snorted softly and rolled her eyes. "You should've heard the other Elves, though, saying all this crap about a dark shadow over their precious friggin' woods. You'd think it was the end of the world or something."  
  
"They are afraid of it, afraid of what it means," Frodo explained. He gestured to her ring. "The witch has taken notice of your ring." He leaned closer to Willow, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Its power intoxicates."  
  
Willow glanced down at her ring. "I did see her staring," she told him. "That other Elf - Arwen - did the same thing back in Rivendell. What if Galadriel tries to take it?"  
  
"You need not trouble your mind with such worries, Willow."  
  
The warm touch of his hand on hers relaxed her as well as stirred her deep inside. It was not this way when she had "physical" contact with Bilbo and it grew stronger with each visit. She never wanted to let go.  
  
"I don't?" she whispered in a strangely absent voice, almost as though a spell had been cast over her. Her gaze left their clasped hands and met his bright blue eyes, so clear and reassuring.   
  
"That is why I have come back to you," he answered. He looked over to Buffy, Xander and Giles on the far side of the flet. All three of them were in quiet slumber. "The witch poisons their minds with her lies as we speak." He met her gaze again and drew closer to Willow as he continued. "She convinces them that you are now a being of Evil and they must destroy you ... to save you."  
  
Willow flicked her gaze over to the others, biting her lower lip nervously at the same time. So, the Elf-witch was responsible for the three of them resorting to murder? She knew those Elves were no good. They probably didn't even know anything about helping the Gang to get home - this was more than likely a wild goose chase. And now Galadriel filled the minds of her "friends" with a bunch of trash-talk against her.  
  
Then she had another thought.  
  
"Will she come here?" she asked suddenly, her eyes back on Frodo. An utter panic washed over her as she gripped both of his hands with hers. "What if she finds out that I know what she's up to, or about you and Bilbo? I can't protect myself from her, especially if she's in my head."  
  
"She will not be able to enter your mind," he assured her. He sat down in front of Willow and smiled in a somewhat supportive manner. He released her hands and it took a moment for Willow to do the same. "As I said, that is why I came back to you, to keep you safe from her dream invasions."  
  
"You?" Willow looked him over. He was a lot of things but a mighty protector surely didn't seem like one of them. She wasn't sure Frodo could hold off Galadriel anymore than she herself could. "You're going to be able to keep me safe from a gazillion year old witch? No offense, Frodo, but that's really hard for me to swallow."  
  
"Judge not by size," he admonished with a short wag of an index finger. "Even the smallest are capable of amazing feats and great deeds, Willow. Come." He gestured to himself with open arms, inviting her to him.   
  
As much as she wanted to do as he requested, she held back. She still didn't understand how this would keep her safe from Galadriel. "What are you -?" she began as one brow furrowed in uncertainty.  
  
"In my embrace, the witch will have no power to enter your thoughts for our bond is stronger than she." The Hobbit, arms still wide open, smiled at her once more.  
  
Willow remained skeptical that Frodo could do what he claimed. She sat back on her heels and regarded the warm and welcoming Hobbit before her. However, he'd not lied about anything in the past, why would he start now? She glanced at the other three and sighed. If Galadriel managed to worm her way into Willow's mind who knew what horrible fate would befall her?   
  
"If you're sure..." she said, looking back to him.  
  
"Of course I'm sure." He smiled again, yet this time something more seductive, for lack of a better word, laced it, and Willow's doubts fluttered away. The bond he and Bilbo always spoke of pulled at her. She wanted more than ever to do what he asked, and not solely because it felt like the right thing either.  
  
The redhead repositioned herself so she had her back to Frodo and the upper half of her body rested upon his lap as if it were a pillow. Drawing her arms closer to her own body, she settled into his hold until she was quite comfortable. She felt Frodo's arms envelope her and draw her closer to him. The feeling inside stirred once more even though her muscles continued to relax.  
  
Buffy, Giles, Xander, Elenya ... all of the rest of it melted away in that moment. Only the two of them existed in the dream world now. She was safe here. Any fear of Galadriel was a thing of the past. Also, somehow, being where she was, she felt at home. Slowly, her eyes drifted shut.  
  
"You won't leave me, will you?" she whispered sleepily. She wasn't sure if she'd actually said the words aloud or if she'd merely thought them.   
  
She had her answer, though, when Frodo's voice, ever so softly replied in her ear, "No, Willow, I will not leave you. I am with you. Always." She felt the touch of his lips against her temple and she smiled slightly.  
  
"I know you are," she sighed. "I know ... "  
  
"When you awaken, Willow," she heard his voice say as she drifted back to sleep. "Everything will be much clearer."  
  
-  
  
Xander slept uneasily that night and awoke many times, only to drift back to sleep after a few minutes.   
  
When the sky was just beginning to turn from black to pale blue, he awoke once again only to find himself lying under a perfect blue sky on a sunny day. Grass was under his back and dew on his feet.   
  
"Whoa."  
  
He slowly pushed himself to his feet and took a good look around. He was on top of a green hill thick with yellow and red flowers. Near at hand was a stone table that he recognized as a smaller version of the table in the great feast hall from the night before. It was bare, though, and only Galadriel sat at it.  
  
"Good morning, Xander."  
  
"Uh... g'morning," Xander mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. [Morning already? Can't be. And where am I?] Somehow, he realized it was a dream.  
  
As if in confirmation, Galadriel nodded. "Sit, if you will. Or stand. But let us talk now, for I sense heaviness over your heart. Perhaps I can ease your discomfort."  
  
"Oh. Well, I'm not really sure what you mean - " Xander began.  
  
"Aren't you?"   
  
"Okay." Deflated, Xander sat down across from Galadriel. "Shouldn't there be a couch here? You're not going to ask me about my mother, are you?" he asked then grinned apologetically. "Twentieth century reference. Sorry."  
  
"You needn't apologize."  
  
"So... uh... heaviness over my heart?" Xander asked warily. This made him just slightly uncomfortable.  
  
Galadriel shook her head just once. "You know of what I speak," she said, gazing deep into his eyes. Xander turned away after a few seconds.  
  
"Okay, yeah. But it's Buffy. I can't just - she's Buffy."  
  
"So I have heard," Galadriel said with a sly smile. "And you are Xander."  
  
"I mean, she's the Slayer. I'm Mr. Nobody. Not even a vampire, ya know? Way long story - good vampire, a vampire Slayer, two star-crossed lovers, bad break-up, basically. Lots of angst and soap opera type stuff."  
  
Galadriel nodded, for once appearing slightly bewildered, but pressed on nonetheless. "That is the burden pressing against your heart. Until you break those fetters, you will not be happy, nor will she."  
  
"Yeah, right. Unless you know how to turn me into something other than a hopeless loser, I'm not sure how I can break those fetters," Xander replied.  
  
The Elf sighed. "Xander, listen to me. You hold yourself back. I have seen the secrets of your heart. I know you have done many noble in your own fashion, often at great peril. You view yourself as beneath her notice with no cause. Trust me."  
  
Xander shrugged uncomfortably. "Well, maybe."   
  
"Consider this: Will Buffy think you worthy of her as more than a friend unless you yourself do? Your own doubts are what hold you back, I think, not any faults you imagine." Having said that, Galadriel rose to her feet. "Consider it, or set aside your feelings for her before they crush your spirit. I see no other way for you."  
  
"Great. Kinda helpful. Really." Xander, buoyed by Galadriel's words despite what he said, looked around. "So is this the part where I - "  
  
-  
  
"Wake up, Xander!"   
  
Buffy shook Xander again. "C'mon. The sun's been up for an hour already. Time for another pow-wow." She rose to her feet when Xander groaned as he forced himself to get up then went over to Willow. She was almost afraid to wake the redhead, not after the weird way she'd acted the day before. Still, Willow had to get up. There was too much to talk about. "Hey ... Will."  
  
"Hmmm?" Willow's eyes slowly opened and it took a moment to reorientate herself. [Sunlight? Is it already morning?] She blinked a few times, looked down to discover she had her arms wrapped around her own body. Unwrapping her arms from around her, she sat up with a yawn. Pushing her hair out of her face, she looked up to Buffy. "What's up?" she sleepily asked.  
  
"All of us, we need to talk." Buffy gestured for them to follow her and she disappeared from the wall-less platform, headed down the long flight of stairs to the ground.   
  
Yawning, Xander stretched. "I tell you, I had the strangest dream last night, Will," he told her. He put his hands to his lower back then twisted at the waist, trying to work out the crick. He flicked his gaze over to Willow, who slipped on her boots. "Hey, Will ... do you ... do you think I'm a loser?"  
  
Willow glanced up at him. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"No special reason," he replied with a shrug. He walked over to her. "I'm just curious about what you think. Do you think I'm a loser?"  
  
She finished with her boots, sighed then looked up at him. "Does this have something to do with the unrequited love deal with Buffy? The thing you've been bitching about for almost three years now?" She came off a little fiercer than she'd meant to, but at this point, she didn't much care. "What I think of you doesn't matter, Xander. You know better than anybody that what one girl thinks of you doesn't go for the whole sex."  
  
"I was just asking a question, Willow," Xander said rather defensively. He glared at her for a moment. "You know, you need to stow this damn attitude and do it quick. I'm sick of this crap, and I know Giles and Buffy are too."  
  
"Oh, yeah? What are you going to do if I don't?" she asked as she stood up. She put her hands on her hips and waited for his response. "I thought as much," she said when he didn't reply. "You need to deal with your issues, Xander. That's all there is to it. We're tired of you complaining all the time about how pathetic you are. Either change it, or shut up."  
  
With that said, she headed down the stairs, leaving Xander on the flet, dumbfounded.  
  
"Look in the mirror sometime when you say that," he grumbled as he followed after her.  
  
-  
  
End Chapter 9  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	10. The Downside of Downtime

Chapter 10 - "The Downside of Downtime"  
  
-  
  
It wasn't hard to find Galadriel. Indeed, Giles and Elenya arrived at the great high flet at the same moment as Buffy, Willow and Xander.  
  
Galadriel graced them with a smile then gestured over at a large table in the center of the flet. Upon it was a massive map, much like those in Rivendell, but showing only the lands east of the Misty Mountains. Her finger traced the long line that was the Great River then stopped atop the small, almost circular area signifying Lothlorien. "Here we stand."   
  
She pointed now at a faintly blue area on the easternmost edge of the map. "And here lies the Sea of Rhûn. In days long past, Pallando the Blue made his way there with two others of his order. Long years have gone by since we had word of him, but rumor has him there even now."  
  
"Just rumor?" Willow asked, glaring just a bit at Galadriel.  
  
"Willow's right, that's not much to go on," Buffy said before any unpleasantness took place.  
  
"Alas, Wizards oft keep their comings and goings to themselves," Galadriel replied. "But I have few doubts that Pallando lives upon the shores of the little sea." Why she was so sure, she would not say. Instead, she pointed at the Anduin once more.  
  
"This is the safest course, although even it is fraught with danger. When you leave the eaves of Lothlorien, continue east until the Great River is once again in your sight. Cross it when you can, but be wary of Orcs, and travel south..." As she spoke, Galadriel traced the winding line of the Anduin, stopping at a great series of bends that formed a kind of sideways W in the course of the river. "Until you reach the North Undeep here. The river bends sharply and becomes very swift, which will be the sign to make your way east into the Brown Lands."  
  
Elenya frowned gravely. "I have crossed that blight before. It will not be pleasant, if Orcs still roam it at will."  
  
"Indeed they do," Galadriel replied sadly. "Few realms east of the mountains are yet free of the Dark Lord and his forces. But if you ride with speed and caution, you may avoid their patrols. Orcs do not ride, but only march, and then only by night. If you are pursued or lose your way, always veer north. His grip is lighter in that direction."   
  
"Then just keep going until we hit the sea?" Buffy wondered, leaning forward and tapping the map. "How far is it?"  
  
"Many weeks, even with the swiftest horses," Galadriel said. "Few live who have made the journey. And it has been many years since reliable reports have come to us from those distant waters. I can tell you only what I told Darius before he set out on his quest. Long ago, all this land was the domain of the Kings of Gondor, but it fell from their grip as the Enemy slowly crept back into the world and great danger arose close to the heart of their realm. Petty kings and free towns are the rule now, or so we have heard. Wine and kine are their sole fame."  
  
"Kine?" Xander asked.  
  
"Cattle," Giles explained impatiently. "Please continue, milady."  
  
Galadriel indicated a small dark patch west of the Sea. "Here in the Green Hills, Dwarves of the Ironfist folk long dwelt in their halls of stone. Mayhap they still mine the emeralds and silver there, although I know not for certain. Also unknown is the fate of the Elves of these woods." Here she meant a forested spot along the northern and eastern shores of the Sea of Rhûn. "Long ago, Úmanyar, those who never went West at the call of the Valar, lived under the dark trees. But they were few and that was many centuries ago, and the world has moved on. Still, it is a hope. Pallando would be their ally for his master in the West was ever the friend of our folk. If all else fails, seek out the Úmanyar and their counsel as to where he dwells. Perhaps he has no set home, for he was ever a wanderer. But there, at least, he may be found to roam."  
  
"And he knows a way to help us?"  
  
"I believe so. If not, none in Middle-Earth do," Galadriel said sadly. "But I think you should have a light heart."  
  
[Well, la dee da,] Willow thought sourly. [We're the ones doing all the work. Easy for her to say.]  
  
"I have set my handmaidens, and Celeborn his esquires, to prepare you gear for the long journey. Elrond outfitted you wisely, but it has been a long journey from the Last Homely House to my realm, and your equipment is well-worn. All that you may need will be provided - weapons, armor such as we have, new steeds if you wish, and anything else to be found."  
  
"You are too gracious, Lady," Elenya said, bowing her head.  
  
"It would be churlish indeed to turn aside the Valar's Champion and those she calls friends when they are in such need," Galadriel responded.   
  
The council lasted a while longer, but none of them had many questions for Galadriel. The directions were clear, or at least as clear as she could make them, and there was little else to debate. It was decided they would set out as soon as the new gear was ready, and until that time, they would rest and recover from their travels.  
  
-  
  
Xander woke the day after they'd met with Galadriel. He was alone up on the flet - no Willow, no Giles, no Buffy. He sighed as he proceeded to pull on his boots. He hadn't slept well. Galadriel's little nocturnal pep talk didn't do any sort of pepping. No matter what, he still felt like he was nobody. Maybe Willow had a point - he should just stop complaining about his situation and do something.  
  
Once he'd secured his boots, he headed down the stairs to find something to eat and find out where everyone else had gone. He smiled politely at the few Elves he passed while he strolled along. It was late morning now, and he felt embarrassed about sleeping in. He was a guest of these people; it was kinda rude. Yawning, he rubbed a hand over his hair. [Great. Bad hair month continues.]  
  
His hand dropped to his side and he stopped when he heard Buffy's voice. And her familiar laugh. Xander turned in a full circle until he found the source of the Slayer's voice. His eyes narrowed a little. There she was - bow and arrow in hand, talking with some Elf guy, who appeared to be giving her pointers on how to be more accurate with the weapon.  
  
[Damn, if it isn't tall, dark and broody it's tall, blonde and ... and Elf-y] he thought as he watched Buffy talk to her teacher. His teeth clenched and his hands balled into fists as Mr. I'm Just A Nice Elf Helping This Poor Girl Out put his fingertips on Buffy's shoulder then gestured towards the target with his other hand. Buffy fired her arrow then smiled broadly at him.  
  
"Hey, that worked! Thanks!" she said. She pulled out another arrow, took aim and fired again. The second arrow split the first arrow in half. Buffy lowered her bow, a pleased grin on her face. "That's much better. I was wondering why my aim was off. Never thought to compensate like that. I'm used to a crossbow."   
  
Xander casually sashayed up to the two of them, smiling stiffly at the Elf guy. [Yeah, you just keep pretending there, buddy. I'm onto your game.] He looked over to Buffy. "Hey, Buff. Getting in some target practice, eh?" His gaze shifted to target she'd used for her lessons. "Wow. That's some improvement. I'm impressed."  
  
"Thanks, but I wouldn't have been able to do so well without Firncair's help." She gestured to the Elf who stood quietly while she spoke with Xander. "Elenya said he's one of the best archers in the woods, probably all of Middle-earth. So I figured, hey, who better to learn from?"  
  
Firncair locked his hands together in front of him, his expression remaining ever stoic. "I would not say the whole of Middle-earth," he corrected. "Elenya exaggerates my skill." He did manage a small smile in the Slayer's direction, which didn't get by Xander. "It was no trouble to instruct you, Buffy. You are a quick study. The race of Men is fortunate to have you."  
  
[Keep flappin' your yap, pal,] Xander bitterly thought as his eyes narrowed briefly at Firncair. [I'll make you a quick study of my fist in your perfect Elven face.] He cleared his throat loudly, gaining the attention of both Elf and Slayer.  
  
"So, Buffy, are you done here?" he asked, clasping his hands together. The quicker they could get away from Mr. Smooth Tongued Elf Boy, the better. Buffy always went for that type - the lack of expression, the being too damn old for her and not quite human.  
  
"Oh." Her smile faded and she looked to Firncair. "I don't know. I guess? I suppose you can show me that other stuff later on?"  
  
[Other stuff? Later on?] Xander furrowed his eyebrows in suspicion.  
  
"Certainly. Until then." After picking up his own bow, he bowed slightly to Buffy then headed off in the direction from which Xander had come.  
  
Xander smirked as he watched Firncair leave. [Yeah, keep on walkin', buddy. Don't even turn around.] He slid his gaze over to Buffy who watched the Elf as he left. [Oh great. This is all I need. Just twist the knife, why don't you?] He cleared his throat again then tried to smile when Buffy looked up at him.  
  
"So you were with him all morning?" he asked, trying to be casual. He watched her pick up her quiver of arrows then turn to him. "Just you and Fir Tree, huh? Shooting some arrows and doing ... that kind of thing?"  
  
Buffy frowned a little at him then she started to walk away. "Yes, Xander, that's all we were doing. And it's Firncair." [Jealousy isn't flattering.] Then she remembered how she felt when Xander had his brief crush on Arwen back in Rivendell.  
  
"Firncair, Fir Tree, what's the diff?" he asked as he fell into step beside her. The two of them walked in silence for a minute then he spoke. "Hey, Buffy, I've been meaning to talk to you since Rivendell." He stopped when she did. "About what I said that night - about us. Unfortunately, guys and Orcs have been trying to kill us, Willow's being Weird Girl and all kinds of various other surprises have happened. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you."  
  
[I don't want to have this talk. I'd rather not deal with all this until we're home. If we ever get there.] She finally met his gaze. "I have to meet Elenya, Xander. Maybe I'll see you later on tonight." She pivoted on her heel and quickly walked away from him.  
  
"Dammit," Xander swore under his breath as he slammed an open palm against a nearby tree. He scowled as he leaned back against the trunk, folding his arms across his chest at the same time. "Way to be forward and decisive, Harris." [What's the use? I'm just not the kind of guy she'll go for.] Shaking his head, he sighed heavily and pushed himself away from the tree then headed off to find something to eat.  
  
-  
  
Elenya, along with two tall Elves in green hunting garb, were waiting for Buffy at a glade not far from the edge of the forest city of Caras Galadon. The Slayer greeted her younger counterpart with a smile and a quick good morning.  
  
Buffy nodded in return, then pointed at the pair of spears that were resting against the tree nearest Elenya. Both of the Elves had one, as well as a pair of knives, bows and many arrows, more weaponry than Buffy had ever seen an Elf carrying.  
  
"What's up?   
  
"No. I thought we might go on a hunt today," Elenya replied. She picked up both spears, each longer than she was tall and with heavy steel crossbars at the base of the spearhead, and tossed one to Buffy, who gracefully caught it. "Lord Celeborn says a wild boar has been roaming the forests south of the Celebrant. Moriâth and Areleniel are going on the hunt for it," she said, pointing at the blonde male Elf and the raven-haired lady in turn. "Perhaps we can return some of their hospitality by helping to rid them of those pests," Elenya suggested with a wolfish grin.  
  
Buffy had done her share of hunting since arriving in Middle-Earth, but it still felt a little odd. Especially since they didn't need to do it for food here in Lothlorien - the Elves were happy to provide anything they wanted.  
  
"Come! We can talk a little about our common bond," Elenya said. "Where better to discuss our history than in these ancient woods? And we have been idle too long. I know you must feel the urge to get out and run and hunt."  
  
Buffy shrugged, but found herself grinning a little, too. She was feeling cooped up here - she'd never gone this long without a fight since becoming a Slayer. It felt strange to her. Even if she was glad for a vacation from the violence, it was wrong on some level, a fact that bothered her more than a little. "All right. You're on."  
  
"Excellent." Elenya turned to the Elves and said something in their own language, at which point they both nodded and gracefully ran out of the glade, swiftly disappearing into the trees ahead. "They're going on ahead to scout out our trail. Our part will come later."  
  
"Yay," Buffy said. The spears made it pretty clear what their 'part' would be. But she didn't complain as she followed Elenya out of the glade at a more sedate pace than the two Elves.  
  
The closer they drew to the Celebrant, the thinner the trees grew. Few mallorns rose up from the rocky ground, but many birches and other fair trees Buffy did not recognize. There was a strange scent in the air, a little like lavender, but richer and somehow reminiscent of the ocean.  
  
"Luineleni flowers in bloom," Elenya said, pointing at a thick patch of bright blue and white flowers clustered around the base of a birch tree. "Some say they carry the scent of Valinor."  
  
"Huh." Another thing left behind by history. Buffy sighed a little as she followed Elenya down the grassy slope and across a tall, elegant wooden bridge over the Celebrant. A trail ran a little way into the woods on the south shore of the river, but Elenya soon lead Buffy off it and into deep, thick forest.   
  
Soon, the gentle roar of the river faded into the background and the only sounds were the faint chirping of birds and the more persistent buzzing of bees as they flitted to and fro in search of honey.  
  
"So where'd the Elves go?" Buffy finally asked after they'd left the river a quarter hour or so behind.  
  
"Up ahead," Elenya replied. "They passed this way."  
  
"They did?" Buffy asked dubiously. She couldn't see or hear anything that would make Elenya come to that conclusion.  
  
Sensing her hesitation, Elenya knelt and pointed at a spot of grass. "See? Elves tread lightly, but they still leave tracks if you look closely."  
  
"Still not seeing it," Buffy said after a brief examination of the grass.  
  
"Look closer, Buffy," Elenya insisted. "Here. See how the grass right here is bent at a different angle than the rest?" she asked, waving her hand over a small patch of grass.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. Who cared? She was a Vampire Slayer, not the Great White Hunter. But to humor Elenya, she squatted down and stared at the grass. Then she frowned and looked closer, tuning out everything except the few squares inches of green. "Hey, yeah. I do see it. Kinda. Here and over here, right?" she asked Elenya.  
  
"Right." Elenya rose to her feet. "You're learning well. These skills will help you when you return to your own time, I'm sure."  
  
"Yeah, maybe," Buffy said, fairly unconvinced turning into a Girl Scout would do much good finding a vamp back in Sunnydale. "Not so sure vampires leave footprints on asphalt, though. I prefer the classic finding the bad monster and stabbing it until it's dead tactic. Speaking of which, which way to the boar?"  
  
"Further south," Elenya responded. She was about to press the issue further, but Areleniel re-appeared, surprising both Slayers with her silent, even for an Elf, approach.  
  
"The great boar is little more than a mile away," Areleniel said, pointing with one of her long knives. "Moriâth is driving it into the hills abreast of the Silwencelumë, away south of here," she told them. "We should not tarry."  
  
With that, the Elf turned on her heels and ran off again. This time, Buffy was able to track Areleniel for a good ten seconds before the trees swallowed her up. [Okay, maybe Elenya's onto something with the Uber-Slayer deal.] But she couldn't think about that now. This just wasn't the place to concentrate on becoming a better force of destruction, for one thing, and there was Xander, for another.  
  
She shook her head, sighed once then hurried to catch up with Elenya, who was already making good time through the woods.   
  
The three of them, Elf and Slayers, ran for a quarter hour before Areleniel and Elenya came to a sudden stop. An instant later, Buffy heard the same faint crashing sound they did and stopped in turn.   
  
"Is that the boar?" she whispered, then winced. It had to be the boar - no Elf could ever make that much noise.   
  
"Yes," Elenya replied in the barest of whispers, then crouched down and, tightly gripping her spear, listened intently. Areleniel had drawn her bow and nocked an arrow and was peering around with a very non-Elvish (to Buffy) look of fierce concentration upon her face.  
  
The rumbling grew louder and then Buffy could hear a snuffling, squealing sort of noise vaguely like a pig's, but far nastier and wilder.   
  
And then the boar came into view and Buffy realized it was definitely no pig. It was nearly five feet tall at the shoulder, and nearly as wide, and had large ivory tusks with razor-sharp tips.  
  
"Geez!" Buffy muttered when the boar came crashing through the bushes, trampling everything in its path. She noticed a handful of arrows were jutting out of its side, a fact that apparently did not bother the great black boar.  
  
It did, however, hear her comment and turned its vast furry head in her direction.  
  
[Crap.] Buffy and the boar locked gazes for a moment. Time seemed to slow down then it let out a snarling squeal, stamped its feet once and then charged towards Buffy.  
  
A white arrow shot through the air, breaking Buffy's trance. As the arrow thrust itself deep into the boar's shoulder, slowing it not a whit, Buffy broke into action. She took a quick step forward and, bracing herself as best she could, hurled her spear right at the boar.  
  
Elenya groaned and when the spear did little more than glance off the boar's shoulder, Buffy understood why. A boar's hide was strong and thick, and this was no mere youth but a king of its kind, ancient and mighty. Buffy's spear did little more than irritate it, as did the Elvish arrows that were soon raining down upon it.  
  
As the boar surged forward, Elenya met it with a spear thrust. The mithril blade bit deep, but the shaft bent and then snapped from the force of the boar's charge. She cursed and drew her sword, but it was already past her and nearing a startled Buffy.  
  
Areleniel tossed her bow aside and leapt at the boar. Using her knife as a pivot point, the Elf huntress jumped upon its back and stabbed down with another knife. The boar roared in pain as Areleniel began cutting away at the back of its neck, and, rearing up, managed to shake her lose. Areleniel went tumbling away, landed gracefully just in time to get gored in the stomach by the angry boar. She grunted and stabbed at it one last time, then grabbed a low-hanging branch and pulled herself up, hooking her foot under the discarded bow and pulling it up all in the same quicksilver movement.  
  
The boar turned back to Buffy and jumped right at her. With only a handful of seconds to act, Buffy jumped forward, right at the boar, and placed both hands upon its shoulders. Praying desperately, she jumped up and then did a flip, landing right on its back as if she was riding it. Just as the boar began a confused turn, she slammed both hands down upon Areleniel's knife, still jutting out of the great beast's neck. The blade vanished into the fur, then the hilt itself until only the pommel stone was visible amidst the blood and black fur.  
  
The ancient boar let out one last squeal, sank forward onto its knees, then onto its stomach, twitched twice and finally lay still.  
  
Panting, Buffy slid off the boar's carcass and then sat down heavily. "Just... tell me that was the only one," she said as Elenya, Areleniel and, further off, Moriâth approached.   
  
"Are you unhurt?" Areleniel asked even as she and Elenya helped Buffy to her feet.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you?" Buffy asked. "That thing hit you pretty bad." Her voice trailed off. The Elf's wounds, visible through her torn tunic, were all but gone. Only a few thin red lines remained of the bloody mess the boar had made of her stomach.  
  
"Elves heal swiftly," Elenya explained. "Much as we do."  
  
Areleniel and Moriâth eyed Buffy with newfound respect, and Elenya bit her lip. Harmless as it was, she still hadn't intended for anybody to know Buffy was also a Slayer. The identities of Buffy and her friends, save as Men from over the mountains, had been kept a secret to all save to Galadriel and Celeborn.  
  
But Moriâth smiled. "The blood of Númenór runs true in you, fair woman of the West," she said to Buffy, misinterpreting Elenya's comment. Areleniel only nodded - she knew the true meaning, having met two Slayers in her long life, but kept her silence.  
  
"Thank you," Buffy said, not really sure what the big deal about Númenór was. Sorta like a Super Atlantis to these people, from what Elenya had told them around the campfire. "So... can we go back to the city now?"  
  
"In a moment," Areleniel murmured. She was examining the body of the boar and, after a moment, let out a soft cry of despair, then held aloft the black shaft of an arrow. "Yrch," she spat, gingerly holding the arrow with two fingers for a moment before casting it down with a shudder. "It reeks of poison. No doubt the beast went mad and they let it go free for sport."  
  
"It could not have wandered far in its madness," Elenya said, frowning suddenly. "Orcs on the borders of Lothlorien?"  
  
"Wanderers in the mountains, no doubt," Moriâth said, but Elenya was unconvinced. She said no more, though, keeping the promise not to discuss their own pursuers with any save Galadriel and Celeborn.   
  
"This is an ill sign," Areleniel murmured. "The Lady should be told of it. Let us return, as Buffy said."  
  
The four hunters swiftly made their way back northward to the heart of the forest realm. Buffy found herself hard pressed to keep up with the Elves until they saw her and Elenya falling back and slowed their pace ever-so-slightly. But at last they returned to the Celebrant and crossed the wooden foot-bridge.  
  
Willow, strolling alone along the backs of the Celebrant, watched as they approached and frowned a little when they ran right past her without so much as a wave. [Figures,] she thought angrily. [Probably off to see the wicked witch of the east with some big secret plan.] She fingered her ring and headed off aimlessly, her mood darker than ever.  
  
As for the others, once they reached Caras Galadhon, they told Galadriel, and Celeborn and Giles, who was their eager pupil in the history of Lothlorien and its people, of their discovery. After some debate, it was decided that the time for the five to depart was soon at hand. It did not seem likely the presence of Orcs so near Lothlorien was mere coincidence, and a speedy departure was the wisest course.  
  
-  
  
The Next Night ...  
  
Xander sat cross-legged on the flet, depressed more than usual as he stared up through the leafy canopy at the star-filled sky. Thanks to his major dumbass behavior about Fir Tree the day before, Buffy hadn't said more than a muttered good morning to him. Even then, it didn't sound like she really meant it. He'd screwed up big time - and the silent treatment killed him more than the not being with her. At least before he still had a friend.   
  
Most of the day, though, he'd hung around in the tree house, wasting time by weaving together flowers into circlets. If the Elves had an abundance of anything, it was flowers. The task took his mind off things, and beyond that, there wasn't much else for him to do to kill time in Lothlorien. Giles chatted with the Elves or Elenya and spent time walking the woods. And Willow ran off God knew where early in the morning.   
  
He lowered his gaze, staring at the large collection of multi-colored flower arrangements before him. Resting his chin on his palm, he sighed heavily. "What'm I going to do?" he wondered aloud. "Well, you're going to continue to be the biggest loser ever, Harris. Not only can you not get and keep a girlfriend, you ruined any shot you had with Buffy."  
  
He scowled a little then rolled his eyes. "Ah, who asked you, anyway?" He sat up straight, picked up a couple more flowers and went back to work.  
  
Buffy bit her lip as she stood on the stairs, just out of sight of Xander, and she lowered her gaze. She couldn't decide if she should go up or not. Never did she have the intention to hurt him, she just wasn't ready for anything ... new. He sounded so ... sad, though, when talking to himself.   
  
Her head lifted and she sighed softly then continued up the stairs. She and Xander met gazes for a moment, and there was a long pause before she offered a "Hello".   
  
"Hey," he replied. He tried to act casual, but the fact she acknowledged his presence gave him some hope. His attention shifted back to his work. "So ... how was the bow and arrow training day with what's his face?" he asked in a low tone.   
  
Buffy set her bow and quiver of arrows down by her particular sleeping area. "It went well. I'm almost disappointed we're going to leave this place in the morning. I'm picking up a lot of useful skills here." She clasped her hands together in front of her as she took a few steps in Xander's direction. She glanced from him to all of the flowers he'd weaved together. [Is that what he's been doing all day?] "What about you? What did you do?"  
  
"You're looking at it," he said with a sweep of the hand at his flowers. "Not a whole lot for a guy like me to get all giddy about in Lothlorien. Not into the history, not into the real fighting stuff, and I haven't a clue what Willow's been doing since this morning. More than likely, it's something I haven't any interest in."  
  
Buffy picked up one of the circlets, her fingers brushed over the soft blue-purple petals then she looked down at the top of his head. He was hunched over, busy with his work. "Look, Xander ... I think ... I think we need to talk about this."   
  
"About what? Are you trying to say something about me because I'm playing with flowers?" he asked as he raised his head so he could look up at her. He lifted an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with it?"  
  
"No, I'm not talking about the flowers, Xander," she told him. She rolled her eyes, letting out a heavy breath then she kneeled down in front of him. "You know what I mean. About this weird thing between us lately, the uncomfortable deal since that night in Rivendell."  
  
"It's been a 'weird thing' for a lot longer than Rivendell, Buffy," he calmly informed her. He looped one stem around the other, linking them perfectly. "Maybe you never noticed it. Or you didn't want to. But, hey, you're not comfortable with it, so let's just forget about it, okay?" He met her gaze. "You're going to be forever stuck in the past with the memory of what you had with Angel. How can I compete with that guy, anyway? Or with Fir Tree down there?"  
  
Buffy blinked. "Huh? Wait. What are you talking about? You think I have a thing for Firncair?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
  
"No, it's not. I haven't even noticed and I'm supposed to have the thing for him!" She put a hand on his. "Would you stop for a minute, Xander?" She removed her hand when he did as she requested. "I don't have any thing for him. He was showing me some bow and arrow techniques. That's it. And after Angel falling for an ELF is so the last thing I need."  
  
"Well, he's right up your alley," he grumbled, looking away from her.   
  
"Let's get out of the alleys. There is no thing. There never was a thing; there never will be a thing. Are we clear on that now?"  
  
He shrugged. "I guess," was the muttered response.  
  
"Xander, stop dancing around the issue for ONCE, all right?" She sat back on her heels, folded her arms across her chest and stared at him for a moment. "Are you going to be straight with me? No more running interference?"  
  
"I've been straight with you, Buffy. I was so straight with you back in Rivendell and I was even gracious enough to not press the issue," he shortly replied. He tossed aside the half finished circlet, uncrossed his legs and looked her in the eyes. "I tell you something that I haven't said in almost three years, and there's not even a 'Hey, I thought about it and I'll pass, Xander'."  
  
"So now this is my fault?" she shot back, jerking a thumb at herself. "You said, if I recall correctly, that I didn't NEED to say anything! That you just wanted to get it off your chest, in case something happened! I wasn't aware that you wanted a reply. If you did, you should've told me!"  
  
"Okay, let's say I did." He sat forward, eyes narrowing a little. "What would you have said to me that night? Honestly. You can't possibly tear me apart inside anymore than you already have."  
  
The Slayer's shoulders slumped a bit, her features softened as she thought back to that night in Rivendell. Her head said one thing; her heart said another. So many emotions were mixed, she wasn't sure what her answer would've been. Part of herself, she'd discovered, was attracted to him in a 'more than a friend' manner. Then her head reminded her of Angel and how difficult it was for her to have a normal relationship.  
  
"Xander, you know how it was with Angel." She didn't say anything else. She wondered if she meant to say more. It felt so abrupt, even to her.  
  
Xander stared back at her for almost a solid minute. "I hate to be the one to give you the news flash, Buff: I'm not Angel." He stood up then headed down the stairs. At this point, he didn't care if she had a reply for that. Or even what she had to say. Her blaming everything on her relationship with Angel was complete crap, in his opinion. Did she plan to hide behind that for the rest of her life?  
  
"Xander!" Buffy jumped to her feet and stopped at the top of the stairs as he turned to look back up at her. "I know you're not Angel."  
  
"Yay? Am I supposed to be impressed by that?"   
  
"No, I never said you were supposed to be impressed by it. I'm telling you that I know you're not Angel. Xander, it's just not -"  
  
"It's just not what? Not going to work?" He came up a few steps until he was one step below her. "How do you know, Buffy? You're too scared to even try anything anymore. You're all about the job lately. Even before we came here. You've been shutting me out, you've been shutting Giles out and Willow, too."  
  
"I can't expect you to understand -"  
  
"That I don't know what it's like to lose a person I truly cared about? I screwed up a good thing with Cordelia, Buffy. I missed out with Willow and now when I try to take my chance with you, you're pulling away." He paused for a moment. "Do you feel anything for me? Does any small part of you feel for me how I feel for you?"  
  
Her mouth opened then closed just as quickly. She wasn't sure how to respond. Lowering her head, she looked away as her hands kneaded together in front of her. [You do feel something more than what you used to, Buffy.] she thought. [He's right; I AM scared of another commitment.] Her head lifted once more and she met his gaze.  
  
"I do," she quietly replied. "But I'm ... I'm just not ready for anything serious yet."  
  
"Buffy -" He took one of her hands into his, caressing it lightly, in a soothing manner. "I'm not asking you to marry me. Just say that maybe, when you are ready, you'll think about going to a movie or something with me?" He offered her a small smile when she met his gaze once again.  
  
She sighed softly, her breath a bit shaky as she exhaled. Then she nodded. "Sure, Xander," she murmured. "I'll ... I'll think about it. When I'm ready for something like that again," she quickly added. Her gaze shifted to something behind him and she quickly pulled her hand away. "Oh, hey, Will."  
  
Willow stopped on the stairs and eyed the pair. "Hey. So ... what's happening here?" she asked. She her gaze went over to Xander then to Buffy. [Plotting again?]  
  
"Just talking, Will. That's all," Xander told her with a careless shrug.  
  
"Yeah, that's it," Buffy chimed in.  
  
"Oh." She bit her lower lip for a moment then came up a few more steps. "I was just going to get some sleep. We're going to leave in the morning, aren't we?" She couldn't wait to get out of Lothlorien and put some distance between her and Galadriel. The longer they stayed in the woods with the Elves, the more uncomfortable Willow became.  
  
Buffy nodded. "That's the plan. We're supposed to get a big send off in the morning. Elves like doing that kind of stuff, I guess."  
  
"The sooner we leave, the better." She paused and when she saw Xander and Buffy exchange a look, she added, "I just want to go home. I'm sick and tired of the past." She went by Buffy and Xander and onto the flet.  
  
After a soft sigh, Buffy shook her head. "We're going to have to do something about her soon, Xander. We should've done something weeks ago when this first started."  
  
He nodded his agreement. "Come on, let's find Giles. We should have another talk with him about this."  
  
Willow sat at the top of the stairs, just out of Buffy and Xander's sight. She scowled when she overheard what they'd said. Her eyes narrowed a little. The decision had been made. If she expected to survive Middle-earth, she would have to destroy them before they destroyed her. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, and she lightly rocked back and forth, formulating a defensive plan in her mind.  
  
-  
  
Galadriel summoned the five the next morning, which was clearer and brighter than the usual even for Lothlorien. She waited for them on the banks of the Celebrant with a few other Elves in bright garb bearing gifts for the companions, as well as four fresh horses and Aratar, bearing a new saddle.  
  
"The time has come," she told them. "All is ready for you. Here, come forward and accept these gifts. I think they will be useful in the days ahead. For the young Champion, a new bow of our make and many arrows. Not stone, as Elrond's folk used, but tipped with mithril. Rare indeed is the armor they cannot pierce. Use them wisely and only in need. And for more peaceful days," Galadriel paused and held out a silver necklace with a green gem. "Made after the fashion of the Elf-stone of old. Think of Lothlorien and all Middle-Earth when you wear it," Galadriel said as she placed the necklace upon Buffy.  
  
Buffy smiled and slung the bow over her shoulder. The arrows came in a quiver with a belt attached, and rested easily against her hip. "Thank you," she said, touched by the generous gift. From what Elenya had said, mithril was more rare than diamonds, and the necklace was so beautiful. She clutched the tiny green gem and smiled at Galadriel. "Thank you."  
  
For Giles, the Elves had a well-carved quarterstaff made of strong mallorn wood. One end had been sharpened; the other had three strong rings of steel. Upon its length were carved Elven runes. "For walking and fighting alike," Galadriel told Giles. "The words are a song of hope," she added with a twinkle in her eyes.  
  
Xander was given a long white-bladed dagger. As he accepted it, Galadriel pressed a small sky-blue gem with a white core into his hand. "A gift as Elven men give the maidens they love," she whispered swiftly. [It helps to clear the mind of doubt and aids in illumination,] her voice echoed in Xander's mind. "Perhaps you may find a use for it."  
  
Elenya's gift was a new sword, long and slightly curved in the style of the Elves. "It too is forged of mithril," Galadriel said. Elenya bowed deeply and carried the sword with reverence, awed beyond measure by the grace of the Elf Lady.  
  
Finally, Galadriel stepped up to Willow. Elf and girl eyed each other for a long minute then Galadriel held her hand out. Resting upon her palm was a silver ring with a small pearl set on it. "It has no magic, nor any special grace save its beauty. But it would rest lightly and well upon your finger, I think," Galadriel said as she gave it over to Willow. Willow said nothing, but instead took the ring and placed it in her pocket.  
  
"So be it! Travel swiftly and in safety, my friends," Galadriel said in a loud voice. "May you find your homes and all that you seek."  
  
The five travelers mounted their horses and, after saying their farewells, rode eastward under the mallorn trees until they passed out of Lothlorien and onto the last long leg of their great journey.  
  
End Chapter 10 


	11. Fall Into Darkness

Chapter 11 - "Fall Into Darkness"  
  
-  
  
"Okay, here we are," Buffy said as she dropped down an armload of wood for their campfire. She looked at Giles then Xander. "Don't everybody thank me at once for getting the wood." Her hands rested on her hips. The level of tension between those in the little group had risen in the last seven days since they'd left Lothlorien. They were all worried about Willow, who barely spoke to them anymore.   
  
Giles blinked a few times then looked up to her. "Oh, Buffy, I'm sorry. Did you say something?" he asked. He'd been lost in his thoughts. Willow was at the back of his mind but this was something a bit more personal. He found as they approached Rhun and possibly the way home, he didn't want to leave. What did he have back in the future? Buffy had moved beyond the need for a Watcher - he wasn't vital anymore. What better place to spend the rest of his days?   
  
"Well, I guess it's not important now," she said as she sat down on the ground, crossing her legs Indian-style. She watched Xander fool around with the wood, preparing to make the fire for their camp. "Where's Willow?" she asked, glancing from one to the other. "Is she still avoiding us?"  
  
Xander nodded in the direction behind him. "She's back there. Doing what, I don't know." He paused in his work to look over his shoulder. Willow had her back to them, staring off into the South as she had been for the last week, like she could see something down there that nobody else could. It was creepy. He couldn't wait to find this wizard and get home. Maybe the old Willow would come back then. "Where's Elenya?"  
  
"Wandering around someplace," Buffy answered with a shrug. "I think she's making sure nobody's following us. Like that creep and his Orcs and thugs." She rubbed her upper arms, gaze shifting back to Willow. "Anybody try to talk to her?" Xander shook his head. When Buffy looked over to Giles, he did too. "Nice. I think I'll go try."  
  
"Good luck," Xander murmured as Buffy walked by him, headed for Willow. "She's wasting her time." He glanced up at Giles and then he raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Giles, now you're acting weird. What's the what? You've been quiet the last few days, too. Are you catching what Willow's got?"  
  
"Hmm?" Giles sat up straight, meeting Xander's gaze. "What? Oh ... uh, no. I was ... I was just thinking about a few things." He shifted his eyes so he looked beyond Xander to Buffy who was now with Willow. "I've been wondering ... "  
  
Xander poked at the fire with a stick after he finally got it burning. He lifted his head a bit. "Wondering about what?"  
  
"When we find this wizard fellow, and in the event he can help us, if I should go back." He folded his hands together, sighing a little as he looked back to Xander. The teenager stared at him as though Giles had just spoken in another language.   
  
"Wait, lemme make sure my hearing's not going -" He pressed the palms of his hands to the sides of his head. "You're saying that you don't want to go back to the future? Back to Sunnydale and the place we belong?" He dropped his hands down, pure confusion on his face then he shook his head. "Giles, what the hell are you thinking? Stay here? What about Buffy and ... and the rest of us?"  
  
"It was only a thought," Giles replied, a bit defensively. He didn't feel that he should have to explain his actions - nor ones he had yet to make - to anybody. "At any rate, what do I have in the future, Xander?" His eyes shifted back to the blonde. "Buffy hasn't any need for a Watcher - she's well able to take care of herself from now on, I think. Without the Council, I haven't much left there, either."  
  
"You don't have much?" Xander couldn't believe he heard this coming out of Giles's mouth. "Giles - you have US. And Buffy does need you." His tone became more distressed as he continued to talk. "You're like her father, for the love of Mike. She'd be lost without you. We need you there with us, G-Man. You're irreplaceable."  
  
"Buffy's becoming more independent, Xander. She's grown up so much in the last few months; she no longer needs my counsel. I haven't much else to teach her. Everything she must do now, it's up to her." He removed his glasses, massaged the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger and sighed heavily. "As I said, it was only a thought I had. I could decide against it by the time we find this man."  
  
"Well, you'd better," Xander sternly said. [What's going on with everyone lately? Giles doesn't want to go home? Willow's ... she's been odd for a while. Buffy's just being Buffy. Am I the only one not suffering from some sort of personal crisis?] "No matter what you think, Giles, I'm sure Buffy'll think just the opposite."  
  
"Don't mention this to her, Xander," Giles quickly replied, his head whipping up at the same time. He gave the teen a pleading look. "I'm not even sure yet, I'd rather have her concentration on more important matters, such as survival."  
  
Xander pressed his lips together. As much as he didn't want to keep quiet about it, he had the same concerns about Buffy's safety as Giles. He didn't want her to die as a result of not being focused. He nodded a little. "I won't say anything. I promise."  
  
"Thank you." He placed his glasses back on. He stared at Xander for a few moments before averting his gaze. He prayed Xander would keep his word and his bloody mouth shut.  
  
-  
  
Elenya climbed up the low brown hill, taking care to keep a low profile in case there were Orcish archers wandering the nearby country, and then stopped to take in the sight of the Great River, a ribbon of silver and gold in the waning sunlight.  
  
Squinting, she turned southward. Not far away was the Field of Celebrant. Elenya sighed deeply. There, during one of the wars between East and West long ago, Eorl and his riders had come to the rescue of the armies of Gondor in one of their darkest hours.  
  
She gazed upon the Field for a moment longer, then slipped back down the northern slope of the hill. There was some comfort in that little bit of history, but it wasn't of immediate help to her and her friends. They weren't going into battle against a horde of Easterlings, for one thing.  
  
More likely would be a knife in the dark, Elenya mused as she continued on her little patrol of the riverbank. They had all noticed Willow was slipping ever deeper into her own little world. But what was she really capable of? Elenya wondered - in Willow's favor, Galadriel had said nothing against her. Nor had Lord Elrond back in Rivendell. And surely they could see into her heart, at least deep enough to recognize a foe.  
  
Unless it was a test of her own foresight. With Elves, one could never entirely be sure. They weren't tame, and they certainly weren't Men, and Elenya wondered if the others really understood that. Giles, perhaps. He'd spent the most time with the eldest of the Elves. Buffy and Xander seemed generally in awe of the Eldar, and Willow.  
  
Elenya shook her head. That was another black mark against Willow. Caution was one thing, but to be so sullen and rude to the Elves was another matter entirely, and a bad sign.  
  
-  
  
Buffy made her way over to Willow while Giles and Xander had their own private discussion. Swallowing, she wondered how to start the confab. Her gaze followed Willow's, curious as to what was so interesting to the South of them then she looked back down at the redhead.   
  
"Hey, Will," she greeted as she took on a seat on the ground next to her.  
  
Willow jumped a little, looking to her right as Buffy sat down. Her defenses instantly went up as she regarded the Slayer with a wary eye. The thumb of her left hand gently rubbed the surface of her ring; it was almost a subconscious action on her part.  
  
"Hi," was the tight-lipped reply.  
  
[Okay. So we're still not Miss Chatty.] "So, um... what're you doing?"  
  
"I'm sitting here." Her gaze shifted back to the South. In her dreams, Frodo had told her that the lands South of them were a safe haven. If she could reach Mordor, she would be protected from those who wished to harm her. Getting there was the trouble. Only Elenya knew the way.  
  
"Oh." [Well, duh!] She clicked her tongue a few times, drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Well, what're you looking at?"  
  
"Nothing in particular," Willow lied.  
  
"Something must be interesting. You sit away from us for hours staring that way." She nodded South. "Willow, you know if something's troubling you that you can talk to us, right? We'll listen. We're your friends."  
  
[Yeah, right. Friends. With friends like you, who needs demons and vampires?] Willow coldly thought. She looked over to Buffy, impressed with the Slayer's ability to fake concern as Buffy did now. It was Oscar-worthy. Emmy-worthy. Any award-worthy.  
  
"I'm fine, Buffy. I'm just anxious to get back to our own time." She saw the doubt on Buffy's face. Buffy didn't believe what she'd said. "I'd rather be alone for a while, okay? Is that so wrong?"  
  
Buffy let go of her legs and turned to face the other girl. "Willow, we're all worried about you. You've had more mood swings in the last few weeks than a manic-depressive." She glanced at the ring on Willow's finger. "We're also pretty sure that ring has a lot to do with it." [Should I take it from her? I should've done it long before now.]  
  
"It's not the ring, Buffy. When are you guys going to get that through your heads?" Willow snapped back. "Are you going to take it from me? Is that what you want to do? You won't be happy until you take it, will you?" She stood up suddenly, startling Buffy, and Willow looked down at the other girl. "That's what you really want. You want poor, wannabe Wicca Willow back. The girl who couldn't cast a simple spell correctly; the girl you had to save all the time. Those days are over, Buffy. Never again."  
  
"Hey!" Buffy called as Willow stalked away from her. She leaped to her feet, her arms stiff at her sides, the rage boiling inside at what Willow had just accused her of. "Willow!"  
  
-  
  
After stalking restlessly through the grass for another quarter hour, Elenya was confident there weren't any Orcs lurking about. She made her way back to camp and was greeted by a slowly rising fire and Giles and Xander sitting alone.   
  
"Where are Buffy and Willow?" she asked as she joined them alongside the fire.  
  
Xander turned when he heard Buffy shout. Willow walked away from the very pissed off young Slayer. He sighed softly, shaking his head a bit. He met Giles's gaze then rose up to his feet. "I'll find Willow, you guys handle Buffy."  
  
Buffy muttered a few curses. She turned as Xander approached. "She has a serious attitude problem, Xander. And I'm getting sick of it!" She pointed in the direction Willow had gone. "I'm this close to punching her square in her nose!"  
  
Xander placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly then his eyes found hers. "I'll talk to her. Go back over to the campfire, all right? It's been a long day; you should get some rest." He felt her tension ease up a little under his grasp. Giles was wrong about her - she still needed him. He hoped the man would change his mind before they found the wizard. "Don't worry about it."  
  
She watched Xander head off after Willow then she trudged back over to the campfire. Slumping down, she tucked her knees up to her chest, rested her chin on top of them and stared at the red/orange flames that danced before her. [Is that really how Willow thinks I see her? As some sort of incompetent?] Her eyes closed as she let out a tired sigh. [I want to go home.]  
  
-  
  
Xander hiked over a bit of disagreeable terrain then followed some internal compass through a gathering of rather large boulders - where they'd come from, he couldn't figure out. Most of the land was forest-y; boulders like this seemed oddly out of place. Wonderings of rock origins faded away when he located Willow among the boulders.  
  
He came to a stop just before he rounded the largest boulder completely. A hand pressed against the side of the rock to steady him as he leaned forward to peer around it. His brow furrowed as he watched Willow. If he didn't know better, he would've sworn she carried on a conversation with somebody. He kept quiet, listening hard in order to pick up anything she said.  
  
Pacing back and forth, Willow glanced down at the older Hobbit, Bilbo. She wasn't asleep but his presence in the waking world didn't alarm her. The magickal bond had transcended the dreamscape - its strength was able to break into reality.   
  
She stopped, her fingertips pressed into her temples and a look of distress planted itself on her face.  
  
"You have to help me," she said, her gaze shifting to the white haired Hobbit. Her hands dropped to her sides as her expression became more pleading. "I don't want to hurt anyone but they are forcing me to it."  
  
"What do you care of them?" asked Bilbo. He raised his eyebrows at her in curiosity. He shook his head very slightly. "They are no longer trustworthy. You know the witch poisoned their minds. Come South, Willow. We shall protect you there."  
  
Willow turned away, and she closed her eyes for a few moments. "I can't," she whispered then opened her eyes. Her head bowed low. "I can't do it. How can I go somewhere when I don't know the way, Bilbo?"  
  
The elder Hobbit came into Willow's view again, his face ever a picture of kindness and warmth. His eyes glimmered as he took one of her hands into his then patted it. "There, there. You shouldn't worry about that. I have the solution for what troubles you, my dear."  
  
Willow lifted her head and she met the gaze of Bilbo. "You do?"  
  
"Certainly! That's what we're here for - Frodo and I - to help you!" His bright smile dimmed a bit. "You are able to follow your own path to the safety of the South, Willow. Give yourself to it - the power - and it shall lead you." He cocked his head to the left, gaze sympathetic now. "It's all you have."  
  
Her forehead wrinkled as she frowned at him. Shaking her head a little, she replied, "Even if I do go they'll follow me. Buffy and the others - I know it. I'll be found before I could ever get there. I can't escape them."  
  
Bilbo regarded her again with more sympathy and he patted the young woman's hand a second time. His tone, as always, remained calm and fatherly as he spoke to her.  
  
"My dear Willow," he said. A small tug of her hand brought the redhead to her knees in front of him. His left hand gently rested itself on her cheek. "You already know what you must do. If you do not kill them, they will be the very death of you. End their misery-filled existences, come South and you will find yourself much welcomed indeed."  
  
Something inside of Willow - very dim - still cried out against such actions towards her one-time friends. However, Bilbo had a valid point: What choice did she have left? The confrontation with Buffy just added to an already tense situation - the powder was dumped and the match need only be struck.  
  
Xander made out a few words, not much to give him a clue of what was being said. The simple fact Willow had a very animated conversation with a person who most clearly was not there - well, that was enough for him. He stepped back, cleared his throat then called out Willow's name before coming around the boulder.  
  
Willow gasped as she stood up. "Oh no." Her hands grasped for Bilbo's but he was no longer with her. She was alone again. And Xander came towards her. [Relax. Stay calm. I'm sure he's just here to try to bring you back. Tell you a bunch of lies to placate you.] "Xander, you startled me."  
  
[I'm sure I did. Interrupted your conversation with Harvey.] "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," he apologized. He carefully approached her, noticing right off that suspicion in her eyes as she regarded him. "You and Buffy had it out. I wondered what it was all about?"  
  
"The usual. She's jealous of me, Xander, it's so obvious." She put her hands on her hips, becoming rather indignant at the same time. Her chin lifted up. "She's so mad that I've changed, that I'm competent with my magickal powers now. She hates it. I'm more powerful than she is, you know. Big Bad Buffy Summers can't have that, can she? She has to be the center of the universe. I never realized it before, but she's more self-involved than Cordelia ever was."  
  
Xander blinked once, but kept his mouth shut. Willow truly felt this way about Buffy? Their Buffy? The Buffy who Willow considered one of the best friends she'd ever had? And to say that Buffy was more self-centered than Cordy - the idea was inconceivable.  
  
"I'm not going back to what I used to be - not you or Giles or Buffy can make me."  
  
"Whoa, Will. We're not trying to make you do anything," he calmly replied as he brought up his hands in a form of surrender. [No sudden movements,] he thought. [She could snap at any moment.] "We're just concerned about you, that's all. That's why I came out here - to make sure that you're okay. Why do you think there's always an ulterior motive with us lately? We're friends, remember?"  
  
"If that's all you have to say, you've said it, now go away." She folded her arms across her chest. "I want to be left alone, okay?"  
  
"It's getting dark, Willow. What if -"  
  
"I'll be FINE."  
  
He sighed softly. He turned away, took two steps but stopped when a hand absently brushed over his tunic top. He reached into the inner pocket and he brought out the small gem that Galadriel had given to him before the group left Lothlorien. 'It helps to clear the mind of doubt and aids in illumination', she'd "told" him.  
  
He looked over his shoulder, then down at the gem in his palm. [If anyone needs some help, it's Willow.] Closing his fingers around it, he went back over to his friend. "Here," he said. He extended his closed fist and when Willow's attention was on it, he opened his hand to reveal the gem. "I want you to have it."  
  
"What is it?" she asked, her eyes narrowing on the sparkling gem.   
  
"Something I don't really need anymore. Here, take it." He pressed the gem into one of her hands and closed her fingers around it. His gaze met hers. "I'll see you back at the camp, Will." He hoped that whatever magick was in that gem would help her - she needed it in the worst way.  
  
As Xander walked away, Willow opened up her hand and gazed down at the shiny gem he'd given her. She blinked a few times then raised her head, but Xander was already out of sight by now. Why would he give her something so precious? Was it some kind of trick? A way to make her think that he was on her side? She was too smart to fall for that. Too smart.  
  
End Chapter 11  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	12. End Game/Release

Chapter 12 - "End Game/Release"  
  
-  
  
The next morning, the group awoke to find themselves surrounded by a thick gray fog. Breakfast was quick and, as per Elenya's insistence, cold.   
  
"A fire is too risky," Elenya explained yet again when Xander half-heartedly complained about another meal of berries and bread. "Hot soup isn't worth being skewered by Orc arrows."  
  
"C'mon... nobody could see anything through this fog. Besides, you said Orcs don't like daylight," Xander persisted.  
  
"They do hate the sun, and fear it," Elenya conceded. "But not when it's not to be seen. But that isn't what I meant. We don't have the time to waste on a fire." She stood suddenly and grabbed her sword, then put on a long gray cloak. "Finish your breakfasts and be ready to ride. I'll scout ahead and make sure no Orcs are lying ahead."  
  
"Shall I come with you?" Giles asked. He'd finished his own meal and was more than ready to go. Sitting around and watching Willow, Buffy and Xander pretend not to stare at each other was not an ideal way to start the day off.  
  
Elenya smiled at him from under the hood of her cloak. "No. Keep watch here. I won't be long, Giles." She took his hand and squeezed it once, then turned and jogged out of the camp. The fog soon swallowed her up.  
  
She headed east for a while, listening carefully for even the faintest hint of a footstep, but the morning air was still and quiet. That was not uncommon in this barren land, but Elenya's heart was still heavy. There was the issue of Willow, of course, but more than that.   
  
The sudden squawk of a bird brought her back down to earth. There, perched on a rock not ten feet away, was a large black crow. It was staring at her with its bright yellow eyes, and Elenya stared back. A moment later, it squawked again, making Elenya shiver, and flew off into the mist.  
  
Unsettled by the encounter, Elenya turned back towards camp. Halfway there, though, there was another squawk.  
  
Elenya froze. Before her, resting on the damp ground was another crow, or perhaps the very same one. Either way, she knew it was no chance meeting.  
  
She watched it warily for a moment then ever so slowly slid her left hand down to her belt where her knife was. But it was for naught. No sooner had she drawn the blade an inch out of its sheath than the crow took to the air. Cursing, Elenya threw the knife at the bird, but it turned too fast and the blade only ruffled its feathers.  
  
Abandoning the need for stealth, Elenya began running back to the campsite. She arrived there a few minutes later and immediately jumped atop Aratar.  
  
"We ride now," she explained to the confused group. "Hurry! They may be upon us soon!"  
  
"Who?" Giles asked even as he hastily grabbed his gear and mounted his own horse.  
  
"Our old friends from over the mountains, perhaps, or Orcs out of the south," Elenya replied. She quickly told them about her encounter with the two crows. "Their kind often use those filthy birds as messengers. We must hurry!"  
  
A moment later, they were on their way, racing east through the dwindling fog as fast as they dared. Barely ten minutes later, as they passed between two brown hills capped with mist, a horn, loud and harsh, rang out not far off.   
  
Elenya cursed and urged them on faster, but just as they came out from the small pass between the two hills, the fog finally burned away.  
  
All five riders came to a stop.   
  
There on the plains ahead was a long line of Orcs on foot, a hundred at the very least, and behind them a score of mounted Men in black armor. At the very rear, on a huge black horse, was the same man who had nearly slain Elenya west of Rivendell. He smiled at them, raised high his long dark blade, and cried out something in the Black Speech of Mordor.  
  
From behind, there was another cry in answer. Elenya and the others turned and let out gasps of dismay. More Orc footmen were coming up through the gap, spurred on by a mounted company of Men in the distinctive garb of Southrons.   
  
There was a moment of silence, then the Black Númenórean swung his sword in a tight circle, and the enemy horde charged as one.  
  
Buffy ducked as one of the Orcs tried to clothesline her with his right arm during his advance. She pivoted on her left heel, bringing her sword around with her. She stabbed it into the Orc's back with an upward thrust, pulled out the sword then easily beheaded him.   
  
"Thanks for playing, pal," she said to the headless corpse. She leaned forward when she sensed another opponent behind her. Buffy heard the whistle of the axe as it cut the air right where she'd been standing. Rotating the sword around, she made another upward thrust underneath her right arm, and she gritted her teeth when she felt the sword burrow into the second Orc's body.  
  
"And no prizes for the runner-up either," she muttered. With one fluid motion, she withdrew the sword from the creature, whirled around, taking the handle of the sword into both hands at the same time, and the bloodied blade neatly separated the Orc's head from its body. "Wow, that was fun."  
  
One of the other Orcs snarled as he charged Buffy, intent on tackling her.   
  
With lightning quick speed, Buffy whirled around with a high back spin kick. The blow struck the Orc in the face and hurled him backwards with such force he did a complete back flip then landed flat on his stomach. Twirling the sword once in her left hand, she gripped it in both as she brought it down on the Orc, beheading it.  
  
"Looks like you lost your head," she said as she stood straight again. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She had to admit - it was actually kind of ... fun.   
  
As Elenya handled one Orc, she sensed another coming up behind her. She paused in her attack on the one in front of her to give a back kick, catching the Orc behind her square in the chest. While the one behind her was off-balance, she spun on one foot, her sword following. The Orc was cut in half before he even knew what hit him.  
  
Once he was taken care of, Elenya turned and delivered a fierce backhanded punch in the face of the first Orc. Her hit sent him back a few steps. Quickly, she shoved the point of her sword on him, driving the blade all the way through his body and up to the handguard. Orc and Slayer glared at one another before Elenya twisted the blade then ripped it back out and finished him off by beheading.  
  
Giles twirled his Elven quarterstaff around then the end of it connected with the Orc's chest. While the Orc tried to recover, Giles swung the staff around and he smacked the Orc upside the head. The staff hit the creature with such a force he flipped over then to the left and landed on his back.   
  
Xander used his sword to finish off the Orc. He looked to Giles. "You're pretty good with that, G-Man."  
  
Giles's eyes widened as another Orc popped up behind Xander with his teeth bared and ready to tear the teen apart. "Duck!" he yelled, grabbing the staff like a javelin.  
  
Xander dropped to his knees without even questioning Giles. Giles threw the staff; it sailed towards the Orc and it squealed as the end of the staff drove straight though his body.   
  
"Holy friggin' crap," Xander gasped when he saw the staff lodged into the Orc. After a moment, it toppled over and lay motionless on the ground. He blinked then watched Giles pull the staff from the dead creature. "I will never ever piss you off again, Giles. I swear it."  
  
Willow hid behind her horse, watching as the other four engaged in combat with the Orcs. She wasn't sure what to do. Part of her wanted to help, but the more vocal part told her to just keep still and let the Orcs do what she couldn't. Kill the others. The Orcs weren't interested in Willow. Several came in close proximity to her but didn't even give her a second glance. And they had to have seen her.  
  
Swallowing hard, she looked down at the ring on her finger then back to the fight. The Orcs were getting the crap kicked out of them by the others - the things were just too stupid to outsmart beings with higher brain level functions. Her gaze shifted to the mounted figure, it was the same man who'd almost killed Buffy and Elenya near the Misty Mountains.   
  
"You guys!" Buffy called out. She paused to stab an oncoming Orc, remove the blade and whack its head off. "I'm thinkin' we're horribly outnumbered!"  
  
"Really, Buff?" Xander replied as he fended off an axe-wielding Orc. "Whatever would've given you that idea?"  
  
"We should make a run for it. It does us no good to get dead." Buffy executed a no-handed cartwheel, each foot smacking one of the Orcs in the face as her feet flipped over her head. When she landed on the ground again, she sliced open the gut of the Orc, spilling its insides all over the ground. It dropped to its knees and howled as it slowly died.  
  
[You could help them,] Willow thought as she looked from her ring to the others. [But why would you want to do that? They've done nothing but plot and conspire against you. They're not your friends. They never were. Let the Orcs kill them.]   
  
She bit her lower lip, her eyes flicking from each of them as she tried to decide what to do. Slowly, her hand began to lift up.   
  
But somebody stopped it.  
  
-  
  
Away from the battle, Rauko reined his horse around. The four Men proved to be very skilled and extremely hard to kill. Bringing up his sword again, he called out to his own men then the first wave of human beings charged into the fray.   
  
He smiled darkly - he knew the blonde would hesitate against a fellow Man opponent. It was a near fatal mistake she'd made at their last meeting.  
  
-  
  
"Frodo?" Willow asked when she saw who'd stopped her from helping Buffy and the others. "What ... why are you here?"   
  
"To show you the way South," he answered, his hand still clamped on her right wrist. He nodded in the direction of Rauko. "He can lead you, Willow. You must join him. No harm will come to you."  
  
Willow looked over her shoulder. Rauko had sent a wave of human assailants their way. Panic welled up inside of her, coupled with an inner confusion. "But he ... he's ... bad. I can't go with him." She looked down at the Hobbit. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
"He is an ally, Willow. Our ally. He shall take you to the South, to safety." He slid his gaze over to the four humans still fighting with all their heart. "But you must do something for him before he is able to help you." A hand raised and he pointed to her friends then looked back up to her. "You must kill the others. If you do not, you will surely die."  
  
Willow swallowed hard. [You have to listen to him, Willow,] she told herself. She glanced from him to her friends to the advancing human army.   
  
Slowly, her hand wiggled its way out of Frodo's grasp then rose up. Her fingers trembled. She licked her lips and blinked a few times. Inside, she was completely asunder.   
  
[They'll kill you. You have to do this. It's not murder. It's self-defense. Self-defense.]  
  
-  
  
Elenya withdrew her sword from an Orc, swept her forearm over her head to clear away the sweat and she sighed heavily. She turned when Giles came up beside her. He, too, was worn out from battle. They could not go on like this much longer. She didn't get a chance to say anything - her eyes were transfixed on the horizon and the charging human army.  
  
Giles's shoulders slumped. "I'm afraid we've reached the end of our journey," he quietly said, more to himself than Elenya.  
  
Elenya narrowed her gaze on the approaching humans. She knew the others wouldn't kill another person - it would be up to her to do all she could to hold the army off. So they could escape. Tossing aside her sword, she brought out her bow and drew an arrow.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Giles as he watched Elenya take aim. "We have to go. We're outnumbered twenty to one!" His eyes followed the arrow as it sailed from Elenya's bow and struck one of the men. "Elenya - you'll never defeat this army by yourself!"  
  
She fired another arrow then another - each time, hitting her target. "It is not his defeat I am after," she evenly replied. One eye closed as she took aim again. Two arrows launched from the bow, her aim always dead on. She looked to Giles, a familiar glimmer in her eyes. He'd seen it before when Buffy resigned herself to the prophecy - before she died while battling the Master.  
  
He shook his head. "No," he began.   
  
"Go!" Elenya shouted. She drew another arrow and fired, taking down another man. "You know the way as well as I! Go!"  
  
-  
  
Rauko grinned as he saw the Dunedain woman fired arrow after arrow into the oncoming forces. He chuckled as a gloved hand gripped his reins tightly. The battle was as good as won. With these four dead, he would have cheated the prophecy and his master would have the redheaded fire maker as his eternal slave.   
  
"Shall we finish them?" asked one of the men on horseback to Rauko's left. He studied the profile of the man, wondering when he would put these poor fools out of their misery. They were as good as dead. He glanced back at the others then back to Rauko. "What do you wish us to do?"  
  
Rauko's attention focused on Elenya and Buffy. Slowly, he brought up his sword then slid his gaze over to the man next to him. "Wait for me," he growled. With a violent jab to the sides of his mount, Rauko made for the doomed foursome.   
  
[Kill the others; bring the fire maiden to me.] The voice of his master was loud in his mind.  
  
-  
  
Willow saw that Elenya ran low on arrows and Buffy and Xander did their best to fight off the humans without actually killing anybody. Her trembling fingers stretched out but she didn't utter a spell. The voice inside her head thundered now - demanding the deaths of her friends. Her eyes squeezed shut, her jaw clenched and she tried to think. [You must kill them! If you do not, you will die!]  
  
Unconsciously, her other hand reached into the inner tunic pocket where she'd stashed the small gem Xander had given to her the night before. Her eyes opened and she stared at her closed fist that contained the gem. Slowly, her fingers unwrapped themselves from the gem then, as she gazed into it, a calm washed over her. The cloud lifted from her mind and the voice was ceased.  
  
Like a videocassette on fast forward, from the moment Willow had met up with Buffy Summers, scenes of all the adventures, trials and tragedies they'd shared flashed through her mind's eye. From the Harvest to the Master, to Angelus and Acathla then to Faith and all of the troubles that followed with her, everything.   
  
It was so clear now. Everything was clear.  
  
She jerked when the rush of memories let go of her. Gasping loudly, the gem dropped from her hand, almost in slow motion, and shattered on the ground. Blinking rapidly, she breathed in and out, hard. Her eyes shifted to the glimmering ring on her finger. That was it. They'd been right. Buffy, Xander, and Giles - they were all right about it.   
  
They were her friends. That's why they were so concerned about her. It wasn't jealousy. It wasn't hatred. It was caring. It was ... love.  
  
"No," she said as she shook her head. She tried to wrench the ring off of her finger but it wouldn't let go of her. Gritting her teeth, she yanked and pulled, but the damned thing didn't budge an inch. "Come off!" she growled.  
  
-  
  
Elenya fired her last arrow, tossed aside her bow and picked up the sword once again. "Rrrrah!" she yelled as she slashed into the chest of the human adversary who charged her. She looked back over to Giles and the others - they were fending off the humans, doing everything possible to not kill any of them, but at least take them out of the fight.  
  
The whinny of a horse caught her attention. As soon as she looked up, the black rider who she'd fought with before kicked her square in the face. The Slayer flew backwards and landed hard on her back, but quickly, she recovered and flipped up to her feet. She turned just as Rauko dismounted, a gleam in his eye as he met her gaze.  
  
-  
  
Buffy ducked the sword swipe of her opponent though she wasn't moving as fast as she had been before. The black-clad human delivered a nasty kick to her ribs that was followed by another to her face. She lay on the ground, huffing and puffing, willing herself to move.   
  
[Faith, you killed a man,] she heard her own voice echo in her head.   
  
[I don't care,] was Faith's reply.  
  
But Buffy did. She couldn't go on in this fight against human opponents. Her hand let go of her sword. She'd been living on borrowed time anyway - and her time was up. Her head lifted and she gazed up at the face of the man who would kill her. Not a demon, not a vampire, not any other thing the supernatural world could throw at her - a human.  
  
She waited for the deathblow. Out of nowhere, a large rock came and struck the man in the face. He cried out in pain as his sword dropped from his hand that immediately flew to his bleeding nose. He screamed out curses in a language Buffy had heard before - the one Willow murmured in her sleep.  
  
"Come on, Buffy, get up!" Xander ordered as he grabbed her arm and pulled her back up to her feet. She appeared dazed but no worse for the wear. "Snap out of it! We're not dying here! Do you hear me? We're not going to die in this place!" He leaned over, picked up her sword and shoved it to her. "You fight, Buffy! I am not letting you give up."  
  
-  
  
Elenya deflected a blow from Rauko's blade but she was tired while he was not. He advanced on her with a series of blows; she was constantly on the defensive. It was all she could do to stay alive. With each connection of blades, Elenya felt it in her arms and all the way through her body. And Rauko's last blow, harder than all the others, brought the sword out of her hands. She watched in part disbelief, part horror as her weapon sailed away.  
  
Rauko flashed a wicked grin at the Slayer before he backhanded her. The force of it sent her stumbling, she lost her balance then collapsed to the ground. His hand gripped his own sword tightly as he watched the woman push herself up from the ground. She was exhausted - the fight had taken very much out of her.  
  
He took two steps towards Elenya, but the sound of his master's voice caused him to stop. [The girl - bring her to me. Forget the others.] Rauko couldn't ignore the voice as much as he wanted to win this battle once and for all, assure himself that he was protected from the cursed prophecy. [Bring her to me!]  
  
-  
  
Willow struggled with the ring but it dug even more deeply into her finger, refusing to set her free. She turned around when she heard a voice - it called her name. She gasped loudly taking a few steps back when she saw a disembodied lidless Eye hovered above her. As she backed away, she tripped on something and fell on her rear.   
  
It was Elenya's sword.  
  
"Willow ..." the voice said again. "Come to me."  
  
She shook her head; her gaze remained riveted to the Eye above her that seemed to grow larger and more terrifying. "No. I won't!" She pulled at the ring again, whimpering as it squeezed into her skin. [Why won't it come off?!] Her teeth gritted. ['The more you use it, the more it becomes a part of you.'] She remembered Frodo, or what she'd thought was Frodo, saying.  
  
"Give yourself to me," the voice growled, now inside of Willow's head. "You cannot resist my power." A laugh erupted as Willow continued to try to wrench the ring off of her hand. "A small being like you, you shall forever be my slave."  
  
Slowly, Willow's head lifted. Another thing the faux Frodo had said to her echoed in her mind. ['Even the smallest are capable of amazing feats and great deeds, Willow.'] Her eyes narrowed at the Eye made of flame.  
  
"I'm nobody's slave," she declared. She rose up to her feet, all fear of the Eye now gone. "Willow Rosenberg isn't your pawn anymore!" Suddenly, the ring shifted on her finger, returning to the size it had been when she picked it up in Bree. The piece of jewelry tinked on the ground then rolled away. "I'm free!"  
  
She grinned widely. The Eye pulled back, a snarl of anger following it. Then she remembered her friends - they needed help. Her eyes fell on Elenya's sword. Leaning over, her trembling fingers wrapped themselves around the handle of it and she picked it up. "No more magick in this world," she murmured as she gazed at the glimmering blade. "I rely on me."  
  
-  
  
Buffy punched the last of the human assailants in his nose then she turned around to check on the others. Her gaze zeroed in on Rauko - there he was, sword in hand, headed straight for Willow. She didn't see him coming, though, because her back was to him.  
  
"Xander!" she called out.  
  
Xander turned around then followed Buffy's gaze. The leader of the army was headed for Willow - and she had no idea.   
  
"WILLOW!" Buffy yelled as loud as she possibly could as she bolted for her friend.  
  
-  
  
Willow heard Buffy's voice. "Huh?" She turned around, the sword moved directly in front of her, and the tip of the blade pointed out and away from her body. Almost as soon as she'd turned, she saw Rauko - sword in hand, determination on his face - right there.   
  
But his determination turned to pained surprise. He blinked a few times, his sword dropped out of his hand and clattered onto the ground. Both of his hands grabbed Elenya's sword that was still in Willow's clutches. The mithril blade had so easily cut through his flesh and was driven almost completely through him. A choking gasp escaped his lips when Willow, realizing what had happened, let go of the handle and backed away. Her wide-eyed gaze riveted to the weapon protruding from Rauko's body.  
  
Buffy skidded to a halt, Xander bumped into her but neither of them seemed to notice. They stared at Rauko as he stumbled away from Willow while he gripped the sword still lodged into his gut.   
  
Willow shook her head. [No. No, I didn't. I ... I stabbed him.] She watched as Rauko gritted his teeth and pulled Elenya's blade out of him. The sword tumbled out of his hands that immediately clutched the wound, now bleeding profusely. The redhead continued to back away when her gaze met Rauko's. For some reason, she felt sorry for him. [And I killed him.]  
  
"I ... " she started but no other words would form. Her hands trembled.  
  
Giles and Elenya, standing next to each other, couldn't believe what had taken place either. It was purely an accident but Willow had killed him.   
  
Rauko dropped to his knees. He pulled his gloved hands away from his wounds, stared at the blood glimmering on them and then his eyes rolled back in his head as he collapsed to the ground. The four strangers had brought his death. Succumbing to his wounds, he released his final breath then lie still on the ground.  
  
Fate refused to be bested.  
  
The prophecy was fulfilled.  
  
Buffy and the rest had only a few seconds to react to Rauko's death before a black arrow nearly impaled Giles' foot.  
  
All five turned to face their enemies' next charge. With Rauko gone, the Orcs had fallen into confusion, but only until one of the surviving Black Númenóreans lopped the head off one of the waverers. That served to spur the rest on. They let out a fierce yell and then charged Buffy.  
  
"Back to the hill!" Elenya yelled, but she knew that even with the hill behind them, they would not last long. There were simply too many of the vile beasts, and no chance of escape through their ranks. Even a suicidal charge to cover the others would fail at this point, the Orc lines were too closely packed now as they drew closer.  
  
"C'mon!" Buffy grabbed Willow's arm and tugged her back. The redhead was still in shock and nearly stumbled as the Slayer tugged her away. "Willow, come on!"  
  
Even as they regrouped at the base of the hill, Orcs began to move around on the slopes above them.  
  
"They're cutting us off," Giles snarled as he slammed his quarterstaff against an Orc that drew too close. "We have to - "  
  
"What?" Elenya replied. She stabbed at one of the Khand-men, hard enough to force him away, and shook her head. "There's - ah!" An Orc arrow cut across her thigh, drawing blood.   
  
"Elenya!" Giles was at her side, helping her stand, and trying to pull her further up the hill, away from the bulk of their foes, but it was no use. The dark horde had completely encircled them now. "I'm sorry."  
  
Elenya smiled through her pain and squeezed his hand. "Look for me in the Halls of Mandos," she began to say, but the shrill blaring of a horn cut her off. [More of them?] she thought, shutting her eyes and resting back.  
  
Then another horn rang out over the plains and hills. But this was no Orcish instrument. The sound was clear and powerful, and just listening to the echoes made Elenya's pain lessen. She opened her eyes and rose to her feet.  
  
"Good God," Giles said, speaking for all of them. The horn sounded again and the Orcs shuddered and stopped their eyes.  
  
Barely a hundred yards to the east, and closing fast, was a company of horsemen in bright blue armor and plumed helmets. Their lances gleamed in the sunlight -  
  
"The sun! Praise Arien!" Elenya cried out as the thick clouds began to melt away and golden rays of light showered down upon the hill. The Orcs howled and, dropping their weapons, began to flee, ignoring the angry yells and kicks of their Mannish companions. It was to no avail. The blue riders came ever closer, and the horn blared once more, and what was left of their discipline crumbled entirely.  
  
As the Orcs fled, shrieking in agony, the Black Númenóreans and the surviving Southrons wheeled around to face the new threat. Even as they formed a new line and began to charge, though, the ranks of the blue riders parted and a single horseman emerged from the rear. He had no helm or armor, but instead wore a great blue cloak and hood, and held a great white horn in one hand and a long silver blade in the other.   
  
He cried out, but was too far away for any of those on the hill to hear his words. The effect was obvious, though. The horses of the evil Men stumbled and turned this way and that, many throwing their riders and the rest dashing off in every direction.   
  
It was all over in less than five minutes from that point. Those few of Rauko's Men who weren't killed by falls or dragged off with their horses were easily cut down by the blue riders as they surged forward. As for the rest, no news of their fate ever returned to either Mordor or the lands of the West, but it was said they drowned when their horses plunged into the River Anduin in their madness.  
  
When the last of the Southrons was dead, the rider in the blue cloak came forward to the base of the hill and threw back his hood.  
  
"Gandalf?!" Xander blurted out, but he immediately realized his mistake. The man looked much like Gandalf, but his hair was darker and held only a few gray strands, and his face was much less lined with worry and age, save for a thin scar upon one cheek. Not Gandalf, but clearly kin.  
  
"Nay," the man corrected with a grin upon his face. "Pallando the Blue, at your service," he said, then bowed and winked at the three women before hopping down off his horse, which then trotted back to one of the other riders to wait.  
  
"You're Pallando?" Giles asked, frowning just a bit. He'd expected someone more like Gandalf or Elrond, not this. [But... no. He's got power, too,] Giles realized. It was hidden deeper than Gandalf's, and perhaps not as strong, but still there.   
  
"And you would be - strangers," Pallando said, giving the five of them a long, appraising look. "So that's why..." His voice trailed off. "But we should be away. It won't be long until that maggot in Mordor realizes his men are dead and sends more Orc scum this way."  
  
"He's right," Elenya said, whistling for Aratar and the other horses who had somehow managed to escape the battle unscathed. "We're far too close to the Dark Tower."  
  
"Hold on," Buffy muttered. "Where are we going to go?"  
  
"Rhûn!" Pallando laughed. "Nowhere else is safe for you east of the Sea now. You must trust me, Champion," he added in a softer voice. "I will see you all home safe, you have my word." But he looked at Giles for a moment, nodded, unseen by all but the Watcher, and then pointed eastward. "We must hurry. Even the Blue Riders are no match for what will crawl out of the pits of Udûn when the sun sets."  
  
After that, there was no debate. Buffy and her friends mounted up and the entire company raced off.  
  
End Chapter 12  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	13. The Wizard of Rhun/The Way Home

Chapter 13 - "The Wizard of Rhun/The Way Home"  
  
-  
  
Many long weeks of hard riding passed, and the Brown Lands receded, as did the distant peaks of Mordor, and they crossed into the great plains of western Rhûn, where the grass grew as high as a man's shoulders. There, they relaxed their breakneck pace a little, for patrols from Mordor seldom ventured so far, thanks to the vigilance of the blue riders and their countrymen.  
  
As Pallando explained, they hailed from much further east, far beyond the Sea of Rhûn, but often rode westward to harry Sauron's forces whenever possible. That was less and less often in these days, for the black armies were spreading like locusts. This latest raid was the deepest Pallando and his riders had gone in many years, and they had only dared it on the Blue Wizard's insistence.  
  
"A dream," was all Pallando would say about what brought him to their rescue, and they knew enough by now not to press the issue. Nor would he say much about what had driven him from the Sea of Rhûn, for it was clear they were heading straight to the east, not north and east as expected.  
  
Pallando was more forthcoming on his adventures, which were as outrageous as any of theirs, and perhaps had grown somewhat in the telling. He hinted at having roamed Middle-earth for thousands of years, or so Elenya said judging by his many off-hand references to places and people long gone. But he would not say who or what he really was, or where he had come from. Instead, whenever the subject came up, he would regale them with tales of a long-ago dragon hunt or a great battle in the lands of the utter east.  
  
-  
  
Buffy stood away from the rest of the group, her attention focused on the steadily setting sun. While Pallando and his men set up another camp for the night, she wandered away to be by herself. With little worry about Orcs or that black clad guy anymore, her mind wasn't distracted. She did a lot of thinking on those long rides across Middle-earth.   
  
"Buff, you okay?"   
  
She looked over her shoulder to see Xander just behind her. He wore a concerned expression on his face. A small smile managed to make its way to Buffy's lips. "Just thinking, that's all," she quietly assured him. She let her arms drop to her sides as he joined her, his gaze fixed in the direction she'd been staring.  
  
"About what?" he asked. He hoped she would say about them, but he had a feeling it was something else entirely.  
  
"All of this." She shifted her gaze back to the sun now hanging low in the sky. "How much I've changed since I came here. I don't even know how long we've been here. It feels like decades." Her head lowered, a solemn expression coming to her face now. "Mom probably thinks I'm dead by now. Or she's gone insane from worry. Even if we do get back, what is Sunnydale going to be like? What if we get back and it's not even there? Or the world's ended?"  
  
"I doubt the world will be gone. With the Mayor dead, Faith in a coma, Dead Boy off in LA, who's around to obliterate the place?" He looked over to her as she lifted her head. "We'll deal with it when we actually get back, Buffy. We have to get there first." He put an arm around her shoulders, hugging her a little. "We'll be okay."  
  
She wasn't as sure as Xander, though. They'd been gone months now. Time still marched forward even if they were in the past. The future had no Slayer. For the first time since Rivendell, she didn't want to go back. The fear of what they'd come home to was almost too great for her to bear.   
  
"I hope you're right," she murmured as she let her head rest on his shoulder.  
  
-  
  
Giles turned around, sighing heavily as he removed his glasses. He worried about Buffy but she had Xander keeping an extra close eye on her lately. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He, too, had been thinking about the future. Not in the way Buffy was but in regard to what he would do when they reached Pallando's place in Rhun.   
  
Elenya took a seat next to him. "You are very quiet this eve," she commented. She cocked an eyebrow when Giles looked over at her. "Something weighs heavy on your mind, Giles."  
  
He slipped his hand over his hair, his eyes closed for a brief moment and he sighed again. "I've done a lot of thinking since the day we met Pallando," he told her. He sat up again and looked back to her. "About the future."  
  
She nodded a little. "You do not mean the future as I think, do you?" she asked. When he shook his head, she nodded again. "Your future, then. What is it that troubles you?"  
  
"I've considered this for quite some time now, Elenya," he began. A pause while he slipped his glasses back on. "Instead of returning to 1999 with the children I would stay here." He paused again to try to judge her reaction, but she was expressionless as she listened. He cleared his throat. "I ... I have nothing in our time. The children have grown into strong young adults, they've no use for me now."  
  
"But ..." Elenya prompted. "There must be a 'but' or else it wouldn't trouble you so."  
  
Giles's gaze shifted back to Buffy with Xander. "Yes, there is one."  
  
-  
  
Willow sat away from the rest of the group. She had her legs tucked close to her body, her chin rested on her knees as she stared off into the distance. Without really realizing it, she looked to the South - the land of Mordor. Sighing heavily, she shifted her gaze to the ring Galadriel had given her before leaving Lothlorien. She'd not said much to anyone since that awful day when she'd ... She kept to herself as much as possible.  
  
Her eyes closed. And like every other time they closed, she saw Rauko's face - that look of surprise he wore when the sword stabbed him right through the gut. She dreamed about it, thought about it, dwelled on it. She couldn't help herself. It wasn't every day she was responsible for the death of a human being. The guilt was almost too much to bear.  
  
Tears welled up in her eyes as they fluttered open once again. Slowly, the hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She sniffled loudly then rested her chin on her knees once more. Her hand absently toyed with the gift from the Elf queen. The one time she needed somebody, she couldn't look at her friends. They hadn't killed anyone, not even by accident.   
  
[How am I ever going to tell Oz about this?] she wondered. [What is he going to think about me? Maybe I shouldn't tell him. But Buffy and the others know - they won't be able to let me keep it to myself.]  
  
"Willow?"  
  
Willow's head jerked up when she heard Buffy's voice. Quickly, she wiped the tears away then tilted her head back. Buffy had a solemn expression on her own face, too, but concern mixed with it. "Oh ... Buffy," she said. "Hey ... how are you?"  
  
Buffy took a seat by Willow, never looking away from the redhead. "I'm as well as I can be. All things considered," she quietly replied. She noticed the redness in her friend's eyes and knew she'd been crying. The group had traveled so far in such a short amount of time that today was the first chance they actually had for a real rest. And for Buffy to talk to Willow about that day. "What about you? How are you feeling?"  
  
Willow shifted her gaze, shrugging a little. "Stupid, among other things," she quietly answered. That was another thing that weighed on Willow's shoulders, the ring.  
  
"About the ring?" Buffy asked.  
  
Willow nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"Elenya and Pallando explained it all, Willow, you didn't have much choice. That ring was a link to a powerful Evil. I think they're amazed you managed to get away from him like you did." She put a hand on Willow's shoulder, leaning forward so she could see her face a little better. "You shouldn't blame yourself. The rest of us feel like it's our fault. We saw what was happening to you and didn't do anything."  
  
"It's more than that, Buffy," Willow said. She shrugged from underneath Buffy's touch as she turned her head so Buffy couldn't see her face. "You don't know what was going on inside my head. I ... I actually thought about killing you. You and Xander and Giles." Her eyes squeezed shut, a strong feeling of shame descended upon her. "I let myself get fooled. He played me."  
  
"Will, you're not totally at fault here -"  
  
"Buffy, no. It is my fault. If you'd tried to take that ring from me, I would've killed you. It was best that you never tried." She opened her eyes. Fresh tears had filled them. "You have no idea what happened, what that ... that evil guy did to mess with me."   
  
Memories of her dreams came back to her. That Lidless Eye, the Dark Lord of Mordor, had used the innocent and pure guises of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins against her. She believed what they'd said. Willingly went along with the lies.   
  
"That's passed. You're Willow again. Our Willow. We'll help you get through it. All of it."  
  
"I'm not the same old Willow again," she said as she looked at Buffy. The tears rolled down her face now. "I'll never be the same." Her lower lip trembled then she finally broke down into sobs. "I can't stop thinking about it, Buffy. I didn't mean to kill him. I didn't."  
  
Buffy wrapped her arms around Willow, letting her cry onto her shoulder. "We know you didn't, Willow," she told her in a soothing voice. Her friend's body shivered in her arms. "It was an accident." She worried for Willow. Unlike Faith, she was emotionally overpowered by the death of someone at her own hand. If she didn't get a grip on it soon, who knew what would become of her?  
  
"That doesn't make the guilt any less," she murmured into Buffy's shoulder.   
  
"I know it doesn't, Will. I know."  
  
"I just want to forget it ever happened."  
  
Not far away from the two girls, Pallando sat and watched them with a sympathetic interest.  
  
"I just want to forget it," Willow sobbed.  
  
-  
  
Several days later, they reached a hilly country with many groves of silver birch trees, and crossed a mighty river that flowed from distant mountains. Once they had reached the far bank of the river, Pallando lead them through twisting valleys and dense forests, until they had lost all sense of direction and time. It seemed to them that a kind of spell lay over the land that confused them for none could remember anything about the route they had taken from the river.  
  
"Welcome to the Heart of Rhûn!" Pallando finally proclaimed as they crested a high hill and looked down upon a great valley with several tiny hamlets scattered around a white citadel with tall stone walls. Blue banners with silver stars on them fluttered from the towers of the castle, and as they approached, more riders in blue emerged and came forth to meet them.  
  
Indeed, nearly the entire population of the hidden country was lining the roads as Pallando and his visitors drew near the great fortress. They stared in awe at the strangers, the likes of which they had never seen before.  
  
Ignoring them, Pallando lead Buffy and the rest into the white citadel and up long stairways to the pinnacle of the highest tower. There, in a round chamber, there were four stone biers. Upon one lay a weather-beaten man in a faded white tunic, and upon his breast was a short broad blade in a red leather scabbard. His eyes were closed and he slept easily under the light of a glass window.  
  
Giles turned to Pallando. "This would be Darius, then?"  
  
The wizard nodded. "He sleeps until his age comes once again. As will you, as those who sent you here foresaw." Pallando gestured at the empty beds. "Nothing will disturb your slumber until the hour is right."  
  
"Whoa, wait a sec," Buffy said. "There are only three beds. What are we supposed to do, double up on one? No offense, guys, but I don't want to spend fifty thousand years in bed with any of you."  
  
Pallando only shrugged and glanced in Giles' direction. All three teens turned to Giles. Elenya, who stood off to the side, frowned a little. She felt her heart sink in her chest when the teens realized what was going on. None of them spoke for a long moment. They just stared.  
  
"Giles?" Willow asked, her voice two octaves higher than normal. Her eyebrows arched and her chest tightened. [He's not coming back. How can he not come back? How can he do this to us?] Tears welled up in her eyes as Giles nodded a confirmation to her unspoken question. She turned away before anyone could see her tears fall.  
  
"Giles, you're not serious about this, are you? You said you were just thinking about it!" Xander knew it was pointless. The decision had been made - and against Xander's advice, Giles chose to stay behind. More anger was behind Xander's words than sadness. Or perhaps the anger masked the pain and sadness. He glanced at Elenya. [It's all her fault.]   
  
His head bowed then his gaze shifted over to Buffy, curious as to how she'd taken this news. Judging by the look of horrified disbelief on her face, she'd not taken it well.  
  
Buffy didn't react as quickly as her friends, mostly because she thought she'd misunderstood. That had to be it, right? Giles wouldn't throw away his chance to go home. Would he? But the look in Giles's eyes told her more than enough - and it wasn't what she wanted to "hear".  
  
Tears brimmed in her eyes now, a lump formed in her throat and her lower lip quivered. "Why?" she asked in a whisper. [How can you do this to me?]  
  
Giles glanced at Elenya again then over to Pallando - both appeared sympathetic to the situation. Their sympathy, however, did little to ease his pain. "Buffy," he started, his own voice hoarse as he spoke. Finding the energy to speak was hard, especially when he had to see that look on her face. "It ... it was a very difficult decision for me."  
  
"Difficult? It was decided long ago, apparently." She glanced over to Xander and Willow, who comforted each other the best they could. Anger began to replace her initial shock. "Why else would we only have three beds when we got here?" Her hands balled into fists and hot tears rolled down her reddening cheeks. "This isn't fair, Giles! You can't do this to me! I need you to come back with us! You're important!"  
  
Giles closed the distance between himself and his Slayer. Tears of his own now in his eyes as he regarded her. "Buffy, you are stronger than you know," he calmly said. "I've never met anyone as impressive as you in all of my life. Since the day you walked into the Sunnydale High library, you amazed me and haven't stopped. The things you're capable of - will be capable of - you already have that. Inside." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "And you will go on without me."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "I can't!" she declared. Her brows furrowed as a pleading look crossed her features. "Giles, I can't go back without you." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I can't do this alone."  
  
Giles looked over to Xander and Willow. "That's where you're wrong, Buffy. You're not alone." He nodded to her friends.  
  
She looked over her shoulder then squeezed her eyes shut. Her head whipped around as she opened them. "You can't leave me," she sobbed as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Her face pressed into the fabric of his tunic and she wished it were a horrible nightmare. It had to be. It had to.  
  
"I'm not leaving you," he assured her as he returned her hug. The pain inside was greater than he imagined it would be. But this was the time and the place for it. She had become an adult. The world waited for her and she had to face it. "We are always together. Nothing changes that."  
  
Reality set in on Buffy and she felt her body become numb. Giles had made his choice, nothing she could say would change his mind and she would never see him again. Her body shook with sobs as she refused to let go of him. [Why is he doing this? Why? Don't stay here, Giles. Please.]  
  
"Sleep now, Buffy," Giles said in a soothing voice as he walked her over to one of the beds where Pallando waited. He lovingly stroked her hair then, much like a father would put down an infant, he laid her back on the bed, allowing her head to rest easily on the pillow. Gazing into the reddened eyes of his Slayer, he managed a weak smile. "It will hurt less when you awaken."  
  
"Giles -"  
  
Before Buffy could get anything else out, Pallando raised a hand and recited words to an ancient spell, the same one he'd used to commit Darius to an ageless slumber. In a matter of moments, Buffy's body relaxed onto the bed, her eyes drooped shut and she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.   
  
Giles gently folded her arms over her stomach then brushed her hair away from her face. Asleep she may be until the day he died, but he would never be away from her long. He promised himself to visit her as often as he could and to assure her that she would survive in the future without him. Leaning over, he placed a kiss to her forehead.  
  
"I love you, Buffy," he murmured in a voice that only he and Pallando could hear.  
  
"She has heard your words," Pallando assured Giles with a kindly smile on his face. "She will carry them in her heart until the day the spell lifts from her mind, body and spirit." He sensed the incredible strength within this Champion of Men. She would accomplish great deeds in her future.  
  
Xander stepped forward, next to Giles, and he gazed upon the sleeping Slayer. The tears were still wet on her cheeks. "Are you sure about this, Giles?" he quietly asked then looked over to the man. He and Giles stared at one another for a moment. "When she wakes up and remembers that you're not with us - I don't know what is going to happen."  
  
"You have to take care of her now, Xander," Giles replied. He sighed softly. "I know you'll do that. And you'll do it very well." His eyes shifted back to Buffy. It was the first time he'd seen an untroubled expression on her face since ... he couldn't remember when.  
  
"Good bye, G-Man," Xander said, giving the Watcher a light punch in the arm.   
  
Giles momentarily cringed at the nickname but he didn't say anything. It would be the last time he spoke with any of them; it didn't matter. "Good bye, Xander. I must say you've come along quite a bit in the last few months. I am impressed."  
  
"Thanks. That ... that means a lot comin' from you." He tried to smile despite all of the sadness he felt inside. "Unfortunately, I can't say that I'm okay with this decision, but it's your decision. I ... I hope you do okay here." With that said, he took a seat on the open bed next to Buffy. "So ... what do I do?"  
  
In the same manner as Buffy before him, Xander was placed into a magickal slumber by the wizard Pallando.  
  
Giles turned around. "Willow?" The redhead just stared at her two friends then her gaze shifted over to Giles. "It's time."  
  
Willow swallowed hard. She'd dreaded this, actually. It wasn't because she didn't want to go home. She did, very much. But when she did awaken, she would still have Rauko's death hanging over her like a dark cloud. Her gaze shifted back to the third and final bed, the one that awaited her.   
  
"Maybe ... " her voice was very soft as she spoke. "Maybe I shouldn't go back." She looked over to Giles, who stared at her as though she'd spoken in a foreign language. "Giles, I can't go back. Nothing's ever going to be the same for me. I know that we're all different because of this, but nobody else has -" Her words stopped abruptly. She couldn't say it. Her head dropped. "How will I be able to fit in again?"  
  
"Nothing I can say will change how you feel inside," Giles replied as he came over to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. When she looked up at him, he saw the guilt and pain in her eyes. She'd taken it so very hard. She'd no time to fully deal with it between then and now. "You're needed in the future. They need you." He nodded to Buffy and Xander. "You're strong, Willow."  
  
She swallowed again, completely unconvinced by his kind words. He didn't have any idea how she felt. He didn't know what it was like. "Yeah." She bit her lower lip then let out a shaky sigh. "Either place, I have to deal with it, I guess. Why not in our own time?"  
  
Giles gave Willow a hug. He wished he could do something for her. But what? "Take care of them, Willow," he said as he pulled back. "I'm counting on you for that."  
  
She nodded weakly. "I will." A pause. "Good bye, Giles."  
  
"Good bye, Willow." He watched as she took a seat on the last bed on the other side of Xander then she lay down.   
  
Pallando appeared over her, a gentle smile on his face as he placed a hand to her forehead. He began to murmur the words to the sleep spell, but in some sort of subconscious manner - much like Galadriel spoke to the visitors at one time - Willow heard other words of his in her mind. "Sleep ... sleeeep..." his voice reverberated. "And when you awaken, you will not remember..." His words seemed to echo in Willow's mind.  
  
"Won't ... remem ... ber," Willow softly whispered as her eyes drooped shut as the sleep spell took its hold on her. [You will not remember ... You will not remeeeeeeember ... ] The words repeated over and again, stretching until they became a nearly meaningless drone as she drifted deeper and deeper into enchanted slumber.  
  
Soon, Pallando removed his hand from her forehead then looked over to Giles. "They slumber now." He knew Giles's next question before the man had the chance to ask it. "The tremor in time - the one that brought you here - when your past selves pass through it, the spell will be lifted." He approached Giles. "It shall be as though they never left your time. With one notable exception."  
  
"Right."  
  
"You chose wisely, I think," Pallando replied. "Small comfort now, perhaps, but it may be that you are needed here just as your young friends are needed in that distant age. War is coming and it will take wisdom as well as blades if the light of the West is to remain eternal." Then he shrugged. "But who can tell?"  
  
"I rather thought you could," Giles pointed out with a wry grin.   
  
"Well perhaps. What shall you do with yourself, you two?" he asked Giles and Elenya.  
  
Elenya glanced at Giles, curious what he would say. She expected he would want to linger here, at least for a long while, in order to be near his young friends. But she could not stay, not with the darkness growing stronger by the day.  
  
"I... I expect we have much work to do," Giles said, returning Elenya's curious look with a smile. "Wherever the dreams lead us."  
  
Elenya smiled in relief. "Let the darkness fear us, then."  
  
Pallando eyed her for a moment then nodded at both of them. "So be it. I will help you as I can, but I think you will walk distant roads beyond my power. Until then, though, rest here a while. You have both earned it." He smiled briefly, then adjusted his blue cloak and turned towards the stairway. He cast one last look at the three sleeping youths, and then began to descend the ancient stone steps.   
  
Elenya held Giles' hand for a moment then followed Pallando in order to leave Giles a last private farewell.  
  
Giles nodded as she left. He turned back to Buffy, Willow and Xander, fast asleep on their beds of stone. For a long moment, he lingered there then departed with bowed head. Elenya was waiting on the steps outside the chamber, and Giles smiled as he joined her and together they went to join Pallando.  
  
***************************  
  
Time marched on relentlessly. The ages passed.  
  
And the three teenagers slept through it without disturbance. Even when everyone who knew of them had died, they slept on. A magickal veil protected them from harm. Buffy, Xander and Willow did not exist on the regular plane of reality. Because of this, the story of the strangers from the future became nothing but a myth. The land of Rhun transformed and shaped itself into its more recent incarnation.   
  
Wars, floods, cataclysmic events and time took their toll on the earthly plane. No place was spared from it - not even the region once known as Middle-earth. Elves moved to the West. Hobbits vanished from existence - by choice or by catastrophe, no one knew. Men rose to become the dominant species in the Earth realm. Soon, such things as the War of the Ring and Middle-earth were resigned to human mythologies. No one spoke of these events as though they were more than just a fairy tale.  
  
When his particular era arrived, Darius awoke safely in his own bed. He believed he'd merely dreamed of his misadventures through Middle-earth and he never told anyone the tale for fear of being thought quite mad.  
  
Then, one June night in 1999, in a small town in Southern California named Sunnydale - it happened.  
  
******************************  
  
As the Slayer and demon drew nearer to the school, Buffy began to tire. She slowed a little as she rounded the corner. The demon had tired as well; he wasn't quite as spry now. But it didn't seem to matter - about twenty yards straight ahead of them was a glimmering crack that appeared to be hanging in the air.   
  
[That wasn't there before,] Buffy thought as she slowed a little more, her expression changing upon seeing the "rip" in front of her. "What the hell is that?" she murmured. She didn't have much time to wonder what it was because the demon made a beeline straight for it. She blinked as the creature vanished into the shimmering chasm. "Oh, hell no! You're not getting away from me. Not again."  
  
Willow saw Buffy had stopped and she felt a sense of relief. She was completely exhausted from running all over downtown Sunnydale. The witch-in-training drew in a deep breath of air then noticed the "rip" in the air ahead of her. [What's that?] She squinted at it. If she didn't know better, she could've sworn it was a - That's when the demon jumped into the shimmering hole and vanished. "Oh my God."  
  
Buffy, her energy to tangle with this beast renewed, sprinted for the hole. She didn't hear Willow shouting at her to stop. All she could think of was killing that demon. She wouldn't be bested by it. She wouldn't let it get away again. No way. With no pause, she leapt right into the hole and she vanished just as the demon did.  
  
"BUFFY!" Willow cried out as she watched her friend disappear. She turned around when she heard Xander calling her name. He and Giles jogged her way, obviously just as tired as she. Her head whipped around, attention back on the hole. It'd begun to flicker now and the edges were pulling inwards, slowly at first but with increasing speed with each passing seconds. "Oh, no, Buffy." Wherever Buffy had gone, she was alone. Not for long, though.  
  
"Willow!" Giles called out as the redhead made a dash for the strange anomaly situated in front of the ruins of Sunnydale High school. "Willow, stop! Don't!" But it was useless. In the same manner as Buffy before her, Willow leaped into the light and vanished. Giles closed his eyes, shaking his head. Not only was Buffy missing so was Willow.  
  
"Willow! Buffy!" Xander brushed past Giles and broke into a hard run. "Willow!" He ignored Giles just as Willow had. He couldn't let them be trapped wherever they were all alone. In a moment, he was through the collapsing rip, off to where Buffy, Willow and the demon had gone.  
  
"Oh, sod it," Giles murmured. Buffy was his Slayer, his responsibility and so were Willow and Xander, even if their own carelessness was to blame. Clutching the crossbow tightly, he dove into the glowing split just before it closed on them completely.  
  
*  
  
Buffy's eyes flicked open as she sat bolt upright at the same time, gasping in a huge breath of air. Her hands flew to her chest as she breathed hard - as though she'd not done so for a long, long while. Blinking a few times, she glanced around her darkened bedroom. Her brow furrowed as her body relaxed while she adjusted to lack of light.  
  
[I'm ... okay,] she thought as she threw back her blankets. Then her eyes went wide when she got a good look at herself. She was dressed in traveling clothes of some other time, some other place. [Middle-earth ... Gandalf ... Pallando ...] Her hands went to the sides of her head as memories flooded her mind and nearly overloaded her senses.  
  
"Giles?" she whispered. Memories hit her from all sides now. Before she could fully recall what had happened to Giles, she was surprised by a groan. She gasped loudly when Willow, a hand placed to her head, sat up on the floor to the left side of Buffy's bed. "Willow?" [How did Willow get here and why is she on my floor?]  
  
Willow squinted in the darkness until her eyes focused on Buffy's face. "Buffy? Did ... did something happen to us? I had this terrible nightmare about Orcs and cursed rings." Her hand fell away from her forehead when she saw the expression on Buffy's face. "That wasn't ... that wasn't a dream, was it?"  
  
"No," came Xander's voice from the right side of the bed. He sat up on the floor, stretching one arm over his head until his shoulder cracked. "Ahh. That's so much better." He wiped the sleep from his eyes then looked from Willow to Buffy. "We didn't dream all that." He glanced around. "Hey ... how did we get into Buffy's room? Weren't we in some far away land?"  
  
Willow looked around the room. "I'm here, you're here, Buffy's here, but where's -" Her words stopped as her own memories returned. She frowned as renewed sadness hit her. She shifted her gaze until she looked at Buffy. "He didn't come back with us, did he?" she asked in a soft voice.  
  
Buffy sat quietly for a long moment as her agonizing farewell with Giles replayed in her mind. He'd decided to stay. And, now, she was alone.  
  
"No," she murmured softly. "He didn't."  
  
End Chapter 13  
  
To Be Continued ... 


	14. The End of the World As We Know It

Chapter 14 - "End of the World As We Know It"  
  
*****************  
TWO MONTHS LATER  
*****************  
  
"Well, what do you think?" Willow asked as her eyebrows scrunched together. She looked from Buffy, who sat on one of the many headstones in the main Sunnydale cemetery over to Xander. He busied himself with toying with his crossbow but stopped when Willow spoke.  
  
"I don't know, Willow. Are you ready for it? You think you can handle something of that magnitude?" he asked.  
  
Willow shrugged. "I guess so. I'm just not sure if it's right for me." She sighed heavily and stared at the paper in her hands. "What do you think, Buffy?"  
  
Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "If you want to take a drama class, that's your decision."  
  
Willow bit her lower lip then placed a mark by the course in pen. "I'll see how I feel about it in the morning."  
  
Xander yawned loudly. "Man, I'm tired." He checked his watch. "These Rohna demons better show up soon. I have to be at the construction site at 6 am."  
  
Buffy drummed her fingers on the headstone while she kept an eye on a nearby crypt. Three demons that were supposed to bring about the Apocalypse with their arrival were due some time soon. If they weren't destroyed as quickly as possible after they entered the earth realm, they would annihilate the world.  
  
"You don't have to stay, Xander," she said. "Willow and I can handle it - if these guys show up when they're supposed to." She glanced at Willow. Since they'd been without Giles, the others relied on Willow more than ever for research into demons and prophecies. Willow did the best she could but she definitely showed the strain lately.  
  
"No, it's okay. I don't want to leave you hanging," he replied. He rested the crossbow on his shoulder. "That's what we're all about, isn't it? Fighting evil. Besides, I feel kinda cool with this."  
  
"The crossbow?" asked Willow, eyebrows rose.   
  
He gave her a look. "No, I don't mean the crossbow. The new me. I don't know about you two but I came out of that Middle-earth deal far better than I went into it. I can kick these piddly vampires' asses with no problem. These losers got nothin' on Orcs."  
  
Willow nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess you did," she quietly said. Her head lowered. She wished she could say the same for herself. Even two months later, she still had nightmares about that freaky Eye. It was like it continued to chase her all of these eons later. As a result of the dreams, though, she kept her magick in serious check.  
  
"We all changed for the better," Xander went on. He glanced from Willow to Buffy. "Look at us. We're still alive. That's got to count for something."  
  
Buffy swallowed as a lump formed in her throat. "Not all of us," she whispered. Even thought it felt like they'd seen Giles a couple of weeks ago, in reality the man had been dead for ages. That was a difficult concept for them to deal with, for Buffy more than the others.  
  
Before Willow or Xander could say anything, a bright flash of light nearly blinded them as a portal roared to life about fifty feet to their right. Then three six foot tall, well armed and armored, snarling gray skinned demons appeared in the cemetery.  
  
"Destroy!" yelled the one in the middle as he raised up his weapon.  
  
As Buffy jumped off the headstone, Xander muttered, "You think these are the guys?"  
  
"Unless there are three other demons who want to destroy the world that are scheduled to make an appearance tonight then I'll have to go with 'yes'," the Slayer answered. She drew her stake and her features hardened. "Time to save the universe ... again."  
  
-  
  
"Well, that was kind of anti-climatic," Xander commented as he and Buffy strolled down her street towards her house. He rested the crossbow on his shoulder and gave the Slayer a side-glance. "I expected more, you know? Maybe some bolts of lightning, an earth tremor or fire. Something."  
  
She shrugged. "If that's the worst demon we get for the rest of this summer, I'm fine with it," she told him. "At least it's over and we can stop stressing over it."  
  
"Stressing? Who was stressing?" He saw Buffy arch an eyebrow then he sighed. "Okay. So we all were. Our first Big Bad without Giles around. We know we can do this without him. To an extent," he quickly added for Buffy's sake.  
  
"It's okay, Xander," she assured him as they made their way up her walk. "I'm dealing with it the best I can and you're right. We CAN do this without him. We just have to work harder now, that's all." She stopped at her door and turned around to him. She pressed her lips together briefly then averted her gaze for a moment. "Um ... I was wondering ..."  
  
"Yeah? What were you wondering?" Xander asked as he let the crossbow drop from his shoulder. He noticed how uncomfortable Buffy had suddenly become. He arched an eyebrow when she finally looked at him again. "You were wondering ... ?"  
  
"Are you ... did you ... " She paused, glancing away as she tried to figure out how to say what she wanted to say. She sighed, rolling her eyes then met his gaze. [Don't be so silly, it's just Xander.] "You're not going to be busy tomorrow night, are you?"  
  
Xander slowly shook his head. "No," he carefully replied, a hint of suspicion in his voice. He narrowed his gaze on her, slightly. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"I thought we could - well, I thought ... " She gestured with her hand from herself to him then nodded a bit to bring her point home. "You know. But, like, just as a friend-type kind of thing. See how I ... how I feel about everything now. Is that ... okay?"  
  
Once it registered with him what Buffy was talking about, he blinked. "Oh! W-well, yeah, sure," he answered, not even trying to hide the surprise. He offered her a small smile as his face flushed a light shade of red. "That would be more than okay. That would be excellent. And I totally understand what you mean. Me -" He jerked a thumb at himself. "Very much cool with it."  
  
Buffy relaxed. A quiet sigh of relief slipped out of her, too. It was a big step for her, she knew. To try to be normal again and see where things went where Xander was concerned. She cleared her throat, licked her lips in a nervous manner then said, "Good. I'm glad you're cool with it. So ... I guess I'll see you tomorrow night then?"  
  
"Of course. Whenever you want to see me. Anytime is good." [Calm down, Harris. Don't be such a dork; she might change her mind.]  
  
She nodded. "All right. Around 7:30?"  
  
"Good. 7:30. You got it."  
  
Buffy managed a weak smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Xander," she said as she opened her front door. Once she was inside, she closed the door and leaned back against it. All of the weapons she'd carried with her dropped to the floor as she rested her head on the door, gazing up the stairs.   
  
[I hope I'm doing the right thing.]  
  
With a tired sigh, she trudged up the staircase to go to bed.  
  
-  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
Buffy groaned lightly when she heard a voice say her name. "Hmmm?" she murmured.   
  
"Buffy, open your eyes," said the voice in a firmer tone.   
  
Slowly, her eyes opened as the voice commanded. Blinking a few times, she shielded her eyes from the bright light that seemed to surround her. "Who's there?" she asked. [What's all this light?] "Whoever it is, you have exactly five seconds to show yourself, or I'll come and find you. You don't want that."  
  
The light dimmed a little and Buffy was able to focus on the only form present. She squinted then her hand dropped when she made out the features of -   
  
"Giles!" she cried out. She hopped up from the floor and rushed towards him, enveloping her Watcher and friend in a hug. "Giles! Oh my God! You came back! I knew you would. I just knew it."  
  
Giles returned the hug, smiling softly down on the Slayer who refused to let go. "Well, that isn't one hundred percent correct," he gently replied. His smile faded when she pulled back, looking up at him with a puzzled gaze. "I'm not in the real world. And neither are you. We're in your dreams, Buffy. Surely you'd recognize one of those by now."  
  
She glanced around. Nothing but a field of endless white surrounded them. A walless room, it seemed. "This ... this is inside of my head?" she asked as she looked back to him. He nodded. "But if I'm dreaming ... and you're here ... how is that possible?"  
  
"It's a long story, but you have Pallando and Galadriel to thank for it," he answered. He gestured to the necklace Buffy wore, the parting gift from the Lady of the Golden Wood. "The only bit of magick from these days to survive in our own. It links you to the past. And I can follow that link back - to you. In the dream world, of course, but all the same."  
  
Buffy's fingers wrapped around the pendant attached to the necklace. She'd forgotten all about the gift until that very moment. "So ... you're alive, right? And talking to me. This isn't some kind of Ghost thing, is it?"  
  
"No, I'm alive. I'm with you, Xander and Willow at this moment - you're all asleep, however." He shook his head. "But the mechanics of it are rather tedious to explain. I'm here now, that's what matters. I wanted to see how you are faring without me."  
  
Buffy stepped back. "Wait a second, you've waited two months to try this thing out? Why?" Anger renewed itself within her.   
  
"You had to adjust, Buffy. I wanted you to do so before I attempted to contact you." He reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder before she could back away again. "It was for your benefit and your benefit only. My time is limited, Buffy, so we must use it wisely."  
  
Buffy's features softened and the anger faded. She couldn't fault his logic - she did have to learn how to get along without him. And that's what they'd been doing for two months already. "So you're going to be able to talk to me? In my dreams?"  
  
"Whenever I'm able to, yes. Unlike your time - in the future, that is, several years have gone by here. Darker days are upon Middle-earth, much more so than the time when the three of you were awake." His brow furrowed. And it was in that moment that Buffy noticed how much older Giles appeared. Yes, he'd aged. But something in his eyes - something else had changed within him. "I'm afraid it will be some time before I can speak to you like this again. A war is brewing here -"  
  
"With that Lord of Mordor Sauron guy?" Buffy interrupted. Upon hearing all of this new information, she was no longer mad at Giles. She feared for his life. It was surreal at the same time. In the present, whatever fate had befallen him had done so long ago but she spoke to him now. He was alive.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You don't think we're in any danger, do you?" she asked, gesturing to herself, but also meaning Xander and Willow. Giles didn't respond immediately. He had that look Buffy knew all too well on his face. "Giles, we're not in any danger here, are we?" she asked again, a bit more forceful.  
  
"I'm not quite certain yet, Buffy," he carefully replied.  
  
"Why would we be in danger? Why? I mean, what threat do we pose here in the future?" A measured panic descended upon Buffy now. She gripped Giles's upper arms with her hands, afraid to let go of him more than ever. "Whatever's happens has happened. We can't change that."  
  
"As I said, I'm not certain, Buffy -" He stopped, turned a bit and looked over his shoulder.   
  
"What? What is it?" Buffy shook him. "Giles, talk to me!"  
  
"Buffy, I have to go," he said as he turned back to her. He placed a hand on her left cheek, his expression changing - almost a look of guilt on his face - then he let go of her. "I'll see you again as soon as I'm able."  
  
"Giles!" Buffy cried out as he retreated into the growing bright light behind him. She reached out her hands and followed but he faded faster than she could move towards him. "Giles! Wait! Come back! Don't leave me here! What's going to happen to us?"  
  
"I don't know ... " his voice echoed.  
  
"Giles!"  
  
-  
  
Buffy's eyes opened and she sat up in her bed. She scanned her darkened room, a distinct feeling of dread loomed over her now. Something so very evil was near, more wicked than anything than Buffy could recall. Heaviness like she'd never known settled itself upon her mind, body and soul. So thick, it was. It hadn't been there when she'd come home earlier in the evening.   
  
She could feel it.  
  
Something was going to happen.  
  
She threw back her covers, slipped out of bed and headed over to her window almost as though she were in a hypnotic state. Pushing back her curtains, she gazed out upon her street. Almost immediately, a rumble shook the house. And it grew. Slowly, a glowing "rip" - identical to the one in front of Sunnydale High School - began to sear itself in midair above the Slayer's front yard.  
  
Her eyes widened.   
  
"Oh no ... "  
  
-  
  
To Be Continued ... in the next story! 


End file.
